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A  COMPLETE  HISTORY 


or  THB 


GREAT    REBELLION; 


OB,   THB 


CIVIL 


tt   TH1 

UNITED    STATES, 

1861-1865. 

* 

COMPRISING  A  FULL  AND  IMPARTIAL  ACCOUNT  OF  THE 

UJLITAHT  AMD    NAVAL  OPERATIONS,  WITH    VIVID    AND    ACCURATE    DESCRIPTIONS    Of 

THB    VARIOUS    BATTLES,    BOMBARDMENTS,    SKIRMISHES,    ETC.,  'WHICH   TOOK 

FLACK     ON     LAND     AND    WATER;      THB     WHOLE     EMBRACING     A 

COMPLETE  HISTORY  OP  THE  WAR  FOR  THK  UNIPN  —  ALSO, 

Biographical  Sketches  of  the  principal  Actors  in  the  Great  Drama. 
BY   DR.  JAMES   MOORE, 

IAT1    «tTBOHOS    U.    8.    ARMT,    ACTTHOB    OF    "  KII.PATRICK    AND    OCR    CAVALRT,'      "  HMIOET    •» 
THB   COOPBK   SHOP    VOLCNTEEIi    BEF11KSHMEMT   8ALOOK,"     ETC. 


WITH   AN  INTRODUCTION, 
1>B.   B.    SHEL'L^ON    MAOKENZIB 


NEW  YORK: 
HURST    &   CO.,    PUBLISHERS, 


Bntend  «cccrdlng  to  Act  of  OongreM,  in  the  year  1866,  b? 

SAMUEL    D.    BURLOOK. 

ID  fl&»  Cartri  OAce  of  the  Dlatrict  Court  of  the  United  SUtes,  m  and  ftir  *bo 
Digtrict  of  Penniylranl*. 


£ 


INTBODTJCTION. 


THB  great  war  over — Fi  eedom's  battle  begun  and  ended 
—the  public  mmd  has  a  strong  desire  for  a  clear  and  re- 
liable narrative  of  the  varying  events  which  occupied  four 
years  of  our  national  existence,  and  finally  achieved  a  great 
end.  At  the  cost  of  much  blood  and  treasure,  of  all  evilg 
that  can  afflict  a  nation,  none  is  greater  than  that  of  civi. 
war,  if  not  only  for  the  sorrows  it  causes  and  the  heartstrings 
it  breaks,  but  for  the  heavy  legacy  of  crushed  feeling  which 
it  bequeaths,  and  the  material  penalty  of  heavy  taxation  which 
it  inevitably  and  invariably  inflicts.  It  is  easier  to  forgive 
than  to  forget,  and  a  true  history  in  which  nothing  is  extenua- 
ted, nor  any  thing  set  down  in  malice,  must  go  a  great  way 
in  mitigating  angry  feelings,  by  dissipating  prejudices  or  false 
impressions  created  or  confirmed  by  the  pen  of  exaggeration. 
Knowing  the  honest  purpose  of  Doctor  James  Moore,  and 
appreciating  the  ability,  research,  industry,  and  Christian  feel- 
ing which  he  has  brought  to  the  composition  of  the  following 
pages,  I  can  have  no  hesitation  in  complying  with  his  publish- 
er's request,  to  introduce  him  in  a  few  lines,  confident  that  his 
own  merits  of  impartiality  and  ability  will  speedily  be  recog- 
nized by  his  readers.  He  is  no  mere  civilian,  writing  of  what 
he  merely  saw  in  the  far  distance,  and  forming  a  book  out  of 
military  despatches  and  newspaper  correspondence,  but  he 
has  himself  served  in  the  war,  in  his  professional  capacity, 
and  has  had  personal  experience  of  what  he  here  describes. 

The  materials  for  a  history  of  the  late  war  are  so  numerous 

(3) 


4  INTRODUCTION. 

that  he  who  has  to  use  them  must  feel  himself  almost  over- 
whelmed by  their  bulk.  The  despatches  of  military  and 
naval  commanders  must  form  the  natural  as  well  as  the  surest 
foundation  for  such  a  work,  and  not  a  single  instance  can  be 
shown  in  which  any  officer,  reporting  upon  what  had  been 
done  'inder  his  own  command,  has  tortured  facts  to  his  own 
advantage,  claimed  unmerited  credit  for  his  men.  or  ex- 
aggerated or  underrated  the  valor  or  the  strategy  of  the 
enemy.  Such  materials,  however  impartial,  are  not  sufficient 
— the  historian  has  to  compare  them  with  accounts  of  the 
same  events  written  by  opposite  commanders,  and  has  further 
to  examine  the  immense  mass  of  information  conve3red  in  the 
communications  from  the  numerous  and  intelligent  corps  of 
able  writers  and  impartial  observers,  commonly  known  as 
war  correspondents.  The  value  of  this  latter  information 
can  scarcely  be  too  highly  estimated.  The  war  correspondence 
of  American  journalism,  throughout  the  dreadful  four  years 
of  national  affliction,  was  often  diffuse  and  desultory,  being  al- 
most invariably  written  in  extremest  haste  and  under  very 
frequent  circumstances  of  discomfort  and  difficulty,  but  it  was 
earnest,  graphic,  and  full  of  interest,  relating  many  incidents  of 
action,  and  portraying  numerous  traits  of  character,  observed 
and  notec?  on  the  instant,  which  would  otherwise  never  have 
been  made  public.  The  competition  between  the  writers 
ensured  a  great  degree  of  accuracy,  for  one  account  might  be 
saiu  to  test  the  truthfulness  of  another.  The  deep  loyalty 
and  personal  gallantry  of  the  war  correspondents  was  sur 
passed  only  by  their  ability  and  alacrity.  As  a  clasp,  they 
may  be  said  to  have  been  created  by  the  Mexican  >rar  of 
1845-47 :  they  matured  in  the  war  of  the  Crimea,  in  1853-55  ; 
but  their  efficiency  was  most  powerfully  evidenced  in  our 
civil  war  of  1860-65. 


It  will  be  observed  that  Doctor  Moore  lias  avoided  politi 
eal  discussion  in  this  volume.  In  the  opening  chapter  he 
has  stated,  in  an  impartial  manner,  the  admitted  causes  of 
the  civil  war.  His  duty,  in  his  necessarily  limited  space, 
was  to  present  a  true  and  readable,  because  intelligible  narra- 
tive, of  the  events  of  the  late  contest — the  greatest  that  the 
world  has  seen  in  any  time  or  country.  That  he  has  done 
this,  I  am  confident,  having  read  most  of  the  book  while  it 
was  passing  through  the  press,  and  I  take  the  liberty  of  re- 
commending it  on  this  account. 

The  biographical  sketches,  which  form  an  appendix  to  the 
history,  will  be  found  full  of  interest,  and  will  help  the  reader 
to  judge  of  the  events  here  recorded.  When  the  leading  inci- 
dents of  a  great  man's  life  are  known  to  us,  we  feel  an  inter- 
est in  his  career  not  usually  awakened  in  favor  of  a 
stranger.  His  past  enables  us  to  foresee  how  his  present 
will  result,  and  both  become  prophetic  of  the  future.  In 
these  personal  sketches,  limited  though  they  be,  Doctor 
Moore  has  shown  that  he  understands  how  biography  should 
be  written. 

There  is  no  occasion  of  adding  more,  by  way  of  introduc- 
tion to  this  history,  save  to  say  that  its  author,  as  will  be  seen, 
exhibits  singular  power  in  describing  battle  scenes.  His  ac- 
count of  Bull-Run,  the  siege  of  Vicksburg,  the  Three  Days' 
fight  at  Gettysburg,  and  the  final  achievements  of  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac — "  on  this  line,  all  the  summer" — are  graphic 
and  masterly. 

R  SHELTON  MACKENZIE. 

Pkiladelphia,  October  25,  1866. 


LlSl    OF   ILLUSTRATIONS. 


1    ABRAHAM  LINCOLN,  Prmtupuce. 

16.  Admiral  FARRAQUT 

2.  General  GRANT, 

17.        "        PORTKR, 

3.        "        SHERMAN, 

18.        "        FOOTI, 

4.        "        MEADE, 

19.         "         DAHLORKT, 

5          "         SHKRIDAK, 

20.        "        DUPONT, 

6.         "        THOMAS, 

21.           "           GoLDSBOROCaH, 

7.        "        HANCOCK, 

22.           "           WlLKES, 

8.           "           KlLPATBICK, 

23.  General  K.  E.  LEI, 

9.           "           McCLELLAN, 

24.        "        "STONEWALL"  JAOI 

10.           "           BUTLER, 

SON, 

11.        "        BURNSIDE, 

£5.        "        BEAURROARD, 

12.        "        HOOKER, 

26.        "        Jos.  E.  JOHNBTOJT, 

13.           "           MCDOWELL, 

27.            "            LONOSTREET, 

14.        "        FREHOXT, 

28.        "        POLK, 

15.        "       HCNTKK, 

29.        "        BRECKINRIDOB. 

SCS1TES, 

1.  BATTLE  or  GETTYSBURG, 

2.  BATTLE  or  CHAPIV'S  PARK, 

3.  CAPTURE  or  LOOKOUT  MOUNTAIN, 

4.  EXOAQEMENT  BETWEEN  THE   MONITOR  AND  MlEKIHAO. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  L 

Causes  of  the  Rebellion— Tariff  of  1816 — The  Nullification 
trine  of  John  C.  Calhoun — Prompt  Measures  of  President  Jack- 
son— The  part  played  by  South  Carolina — A  Doctrine  of  State 
Supremacy — Slavery  in  the  United  States — Missouri  Compro- 
mise— Wihnot  Proviso — Slavery  in  Kansas — Inflamed  state  of 
Parties — Buchanan's  Administration — Southern  Conspirators, 
Yancey  and  Floyd — The  South  preparing  for  War — Popular 
Presentiments 21 


CHAPTER  II. 

Election  of  Abraham  Lincoln — South  Carolina  and  Georgia  se- 
cede— Anderson  at  Fort  Sumter — Star  of  the  West— Southern 
Members  in  Congress — Inauguration  of  Lincoln — His  Cabinet 
— Bombardment  and  Fall  of  Fort  Sumter — Heroism  of  Ander- 
son and  the  Garrison — Call  for  Seventy-five  thousand  troops 
for  Three  Months — The  Slave  States  refuse  to  send  their  Quotas 
— Patriotic  spirit  in  the  North — Proclamation  of  Jefferson 
Davis — Virginia  secedes — Surrender  of  Norfolk — Surrender  of 
Harper's  Ferry — The  People  roused  to  War IS 


CHAPTER  IIL 

APRIL — MAT,   1861. 

Sanguine  hopes  of  the  South — Blockade  of  Southern  Ports — 
Baseness  of  Contractors — Troops  answering  to  the  President's 
call — Attack  by  a  Mob  on  Massachusetts  and  Pennsylvania 
troops  in  Baltimore — Resignation  of  Officers  in  the  Army  and 
Navy — New  York  declares  Rebellion  must  cease — Effect  of  the 
News  in  the  South — Call  for  forty  thousand  men,  and  increase 
of  tLe  Army  and  Navy — Suspension  of  Habeas  Corpus — State 
o'  Affairs  in  the  South 

ni 


8  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER*  IV. 

The  Potomac  the  centre  of  attraction — Death  of  Colonel  Ells- 
worth— Battle  of  Big  Bethel,  and  Death  of  Lieutenant  Greble 
— Lyon  in  Missouri — Battle  of  Booneville — General  McClellan 
iu  Western  Virginia — Battle  at  Philippi — Contrabands — Battle 
of  Rich  Mountain — Battle  at  Barbourville — Sigel  in  Missouri 
— Battle  of  Carthage — His  successful  Retreat — Devotion  to 
the  Union  of  East  Tennessee — Affairs  in  Kentucky. . .  &S 


CHAPTER  V. 

JtTLT,   186L 

Meeting  of  Congress — Presidential  Message — Requisition  for  Men 
and  Money — Thaddeus  Stevens — Jefferson  Davis's  requisition 
for  Troops — Principal  commanders  on  both  sides — The  "  On  to 
Richmond"  cry — The  Rebels  strongly  fortify  Manassas — Gen- 
eral R.  Patterson — Onward  movement  decided  on — McDowell 
commands  the  army — Commanders — Forces  in  five  Divisions 
— Splendid  sight  on  the  March — Artillery  fight  at  Blackburn's 
Ford— Plan  of  the  Battle — Divisions  of  Hunter  and  Heintzel- 
man — Battle  and  Defeat  of  Bull  Run — Salutary  effects 52 

CHAPTER  VL 

JULY — AUGUST,   1861. 

Condition  of  the  Army  after  the  battle  of  Bull  Run — Its  Dif- 
charge,  and  a  new  one  raised — Magnitude  of  the  Enterprise — 
McClellan  takes  the  command — Banks  and  Fremont — Fremont 
sent  to  Missouri — Proximity  of  the  Rebels  to  the  Capital — 
Patriotic  rising  of  the  North — Lyon  marches  against  McCul- 
lough — Kentucky  decides  by  vote  to  remain  loyal — Fremont  in 
St.  Louis— Battle  of  Wilson's  Creek— Death  of  Lyon— The 
Union  army  retreats — Regret  on  the  Death  of  Lyon— Spirit  of 
the  Clergy  at  tl  e  South 61 


CHAPTER  VII. 

SEPTEMBER,   1861. 

A-rrestB  by  the  Government — Confiscation — Exchange  of  Prison- 
ers refused — Davis  uses  Retaliation — Mutiny  quelled — Priva- 
teers of  the  Rebels — Wool  at  Fort  Monroe — Foote  takes  charge 
of  Gunboats  west — Attack  on  Cape  Hatteras — Fremont's  Pro- 
clamation— Western  Virginia — Battle  at  Carnifex  Ferry — Fall 
of  Lexington— Fight  at  Cheat  Mountajn— Lee  defeated  at  Elk- 
water— Are  y  of  the  Potomac— The  National  Fast SI 


OOJITJESTH. 


CHAPTER 

OCTOBIB,    1861. 

The  great  Armies  —  Pensacola  —  Privateer  captured  —  Ship  Island 
occupied  —  Western  Virginia  —  Green  Brier  Creek  Fight  —  The 
enemy's  Attack  at  Fort  Hatteras  —  Santa  Rosa  Island  —  Sur- 
prise of  "Wilson's  Zouaves  —  Rebel  ram  Manassas  attacks  Block- 
ading Fleet  at  mouth  of  Mississippi  —  Fights  at  Lebanon,  Mis- 
souri —  At  Fredericktown  —  At  Blue  Mills  Ferry  —  Battle  of 
Wild  Cat  Camp  —  Upper  Potomac  —  Fight  at  Bolivar—  Battle 
of  Ball's  Bluff—  General  Stone  —  People  indignant  —  McClellan 
-Colonel  Lander  —  Charge  of  Zagonyi  ......................  73 

CHAPTER  IX. 

NOVEMBER,    1861. 

riie  public  mind  dissatisfied  —  Fremont  —  What  difficulties  he  sur- 
mounted —  Advance  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  expected  — 
Great  Naval  Expedition  —  Encounters  a  Storm  —  Bombardment 
of  the  Rebel  forts  —  Attack  and  Victory  —  General  Scott  retires, 
and  McClellan  succeeds  him  —  Grand  re  view  of  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac  —  Grant's  expedition  from  Cairo  —  Battle  of  Belmont 
—  Nelson's  Campaign  —  Its  Results  —  Investigation  of  Charges 
against  Fremont  —  His  Removal  —  Hunter  Succeeds  —  Halleck 
supersedes  Hunter  —  Departments  Reconstructed  —  Expedition 
of  Dix  —  Capture  of  Mason  and  Slidell  —  Their  surrender  de- 
manded, and  on  what  ground  obtained  —  The  Nashville  and 
Tuecarora  —  McClellan's  orders  —  The  Negroes  at  Port  Royal  — 
Rebels  burn  the  cotton  —  Rebel  schooner  burned.  .............  83 


CHAPTER  X. 

DECEMBER,    1861. 

Opening  of  Congress  —  Difficulties  before  it—  The  Military  and 
Naval  forces  —  Escape  of  the  Sumter  —  Pope  in  Missouri  —  Fight 
at  Mount  Zion  —  Fight  at  Rowlett's  Station  —  Battle  at  Camp 
Alleghany  —  Battle  of  Drainsville  —  Stone  Fleet  at  Charleston  — 
Embarrassment  of  the  President  ..........................  91 


CHAPTER  XL 

JANUARY,   1862. 

New  Year  at  the  Capital— At  Pensacola— Fort  Pickens  bom- 
barded— Fight  at  Port  Royal — Mil-oy  in  Western  Virginia — 
Jackson  tears  up  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad — Fight  near 
Hancock — Fight  at  Bine's  Gap — Battle  and  T  ictory  of  Gar- 
field,  at  Middle  Creek,  Kentucky — Pope  in  Missouri — Matters 
in  Kentucky — Thomas  moves  against  Zollicoffer — Battle  of 
Mill  Spring — Bayonet  charge,  and  victory  of  McCook — Cairo 
Expedition — Bui  nside  Expedition— Savannah— Fort  Pulaski  cut 
off — Seer  tarv  of  War  Cameron  resigns — Monitor  launched...  104 


10  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  XH. 

FEBRUARY,   1862. 

Expedition!  against  Forts  Henry  and  Donelson— Fort  Henry  cap- 
tured by  the  gunboats  under  Foote — Fort  Donelson  invested — 
Attacked  by  Foote  with  the  gunboats — General  assault  deter- 
mined on  by  Grant — The  attack  and  victory — News  of  the  sur- 
render at  Nashville — The  Rebels  flee  southward — Curtis  drives 
Price  from  Missouri — Burnside's  great  Fleet  attacks  Roanoke 
Island — The  battle  and  victory— Captain  Rowan  attacks  the 
Rebel  fleet  at  Elizabeth  City — Edenton  captured— Burning  of 
Winton— Canby  on  the  Rio  Grande Ill 


CHAPTER  XIIL 

MARCH,    1862. 

Escape  of  the  Nashville — Destruction  of  a  Rebel  battery — Death 
of  Colonel  Lander — Capture  of  Fernandina  and  Fort  Clinch — 
The  Merrimac,  and  her  injury  to  the  Federal  fleet — Arrival  of 
the  Monitor — She  defeats  the  Merrimac — Battle  of  Pea  Ridge, 
and  its  Results— Andrew  Johnson,  Governor  of  Tennessee — 
Rebels  concentrate  at  Corinth — Foot  moves  against  Island 
Number  Ten — Pope  at  New  Madrid — Capture  of  Newbern — A 
general  advance  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac — Fremont  in 
command  of  Mountain  Department — Evacuation  of  Manassas — 
Battle  of  Winchester 125 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

APRIL,  1862. 

Island  Number  Ten — Channel  cut  round  it — Transports  pas§ 
through — Attack  on  Union  City — Spiking  of  a  battery — Gun- 
boats run  the  batteries — Pope  crosses  the  Mississippi  ana  cap- 
tures the  enemy — Surrender  of  Island  Number  Ten — Battle  of 
Pittsburg  Landing,  first  day — Surprise  of  Sherman's  and  Pren- 
tiss's  Divisions — Gunboats  take  part  in  the  battle — Second 
day's  battle — Disposition  of  the  forces — Sanitary  Comzaissios  131 


CHAPTER  XV. 
APRIL,  1362. 

Expedition  against  New  Orleans — The  difficulties  to  be  encoun- 
tered— Bombardment  of  the  Forts — Fire  rafts — Farragut  runs 
the  batteries — Terrible  engagement — The  surrender  of  New 
Orleans,  forts,  etc.,  etc. — General  Butler  occupies  the  city — 
Farragut  commands  a  general  Thanksgiving — Extracts  from 
Porter's  Letters,  etc 


oojrnom.  11 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

APRIL,   1862. 

Federal  success  on  the  Atlantic  Coast — McClellan  at  Fort  Monroe 
— Plan  of  the  War—  Plan  of  Campaign  against  Richmond — 
Advance  on  Yorktown — Fremont  in  the  Mountain  Department 
— Advance  on  Fredericksburg — Capture  of  Fort  Pulaski — 
Fight  at  Apache  Pass — Bombardment  of  Fort  Macon — Attack 
on  Lee's  Mill — Fall  of  Fort  Macon — General  Mitchell  in  Ala- 
bama— The  q  icstion  of  Slavery  in  Congress — Iron-clads  to  be 
built — Committee  report  on  Treatment  of  our  Dead  at  Bull 
Run — Our  prospects  at  the  end  of  the  first  year  of  the  War. . .  153 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

MAT   AND   JUNE,   1862. 

Battle  of  Williainsburg — Colonel  Dwight's  bravery — Berry  and 
Kearney  rush  to  the  Rescue — Gallant  behavior  of  Hooker's 
Brigade — Hancock's  splendid  bayonet  charge — Great  valor  of 
the  Eleventh  Massachusetts — Franklin  attacks  the  enemy  at 
West  Point — Fall  of  Norfolk — Destruction  of  the  Merrimac — 
Fort  Darling  bombarded — McClellan  advances  o<n  Richmond — 
Battle  of  Hanover  Court  House — Flood  in  the  Chickahominy — 
Battle  of  Fair  Oaks— Rout  of  Casey's  Division — Bravery  of  the 
troops  under  lleiutzelman — The  Second  Excelsior 1 63 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 

MAT,    1862. 

tfcClellan's  Renort  of  the  Battle — McDowell  about  to  join  on  the 
Right  Wing — Shields  on  the  way — Banks  at  Strasburg — Jack- 
son determines  on  an  attack — Great  heroism  of  Colonel  Kenly 
at  Front  Royal — Banks'  famous  retreat  to  the  Potomac — 
Battle  of  Winchester — The  Militia  called  out — McDowell  and 
Fremont  ordered  to  cut  off  Jackson's  retreat — Halleck  at 
Corinth — Naval  action  at  Fort  Wright — Splendid  cavalry 
charge — Fight  at  Farmington — Evacuation  of  Corinth — Gen- 
eral Butler  at  New  Orleans 174 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

JUNK,  1862. 

Naval  action  before  Memphis — Its  Evacuation — General  Mitchell 
captures  Chattanooga — Expedition  up  the  White  River — But- 
ler at  New  Orleans — Loyal  East  Tennesseans — Parson  Brown- 
low —  Morgan  occupies  Cumberland  Gap  —  Fremont  pursues 
Jackson — Fight  at  Harrisonburg — Battle  of  Cross  Keys — Fight 
at  Point  Republic — Fremont  superseded  by  Pope — Battle  of 
James  Island l&l 


12  OOITTIXTS. 

CHAPTER  XX. 

JUNK,   1862. 

The  army  before  Richmond — McClellan's  address — McOall  sent 
to  his  support — The  Rebel  General  Stuart  makes  a  Raid  round 
the  whole  Union  army — Robert  E.  Lee,  Rebel  Commander-in- 
chief —  His  plans  —  Battles  of  Oak  Grove,  Mechauicsville, 
Games'  Mill— McClallan's  despatch 19c 

CHAPTER  XXI. 

JUKB  28TH  TO   AUGUST   17TH,    1862,   INCLU8ITB. 

The  wounded  sent  from  Savage  Station  to  White  Hcnse — Battles 
of  Peach  Orchard  and  Savage  Station — Panic  of  the  troops — 
Bravery  of  the  Irish  Brigade — Battle  of  White  Oak  Swamp — 
Attack  on  Hancock — Confusion  in  the  ranks — Attack  on  Smith 
and  Franklin — Enemy  repulsed — McCall  forced  back  by  the 
enemy  in  a  tremendous  charge — Terrible  carnage — The  gun- 
boats co-operate — Crowning  charge  of  lleintzelman — Battle  of 
Malvern  Hill — The  Army  at  Harrison's  Landing — The  Penin- 
sular Campaign  a  failure — The  Army  withdrawn  from  the  Pe- 
ninsula  ••<  211 

CHAPTER  XXIL 

JULY,  1862. 

Fresh  energy  of  the  Administration — Call  for  three  hundred 
thousand  men  by  draft — General  Halleck  commander-in-chief 
of  the  army — General  Pope's  operations — Mr.  Lincoln's  Mes- 
sage in  favor  of  Emancipation — Reconnoissance  to  Beaver 
Dam — Battle  on  Bayou  Cache,  in  Arkansas — Action  on  the 
Mississippi  with  the  Rebel  ram  Arkansas — Fight  near  Mem- 
phis, Mississippi — The  Rebel  Morgan  in  Kentucky — Another 
anti-slavery  Message — Expeditions  to  Trenton  and  Pollocks- 
ville,  from  Newbern — Colonel  Ellet  renews  the  attack  on  the 
Arkansas — Creation  of  new  grades  in  the  Navy  of  the  United 
States 220 

CHAPTER  XXm. 

AUGUST,   1862. 

Plan  of  the  Campaign  in  Virginia — Pope  masses  at  Culpepper — 
Battle  of  Cedar  Mountain — Heroism  of  Crawford's  Brigade — 
Gallantry  of  Banks,  Crawford,  and  other  generals — Buford  pur- 
sues the  enemy — Death  of  Lieutenant  Dutton — Lee's  designs 
—Imminent  danger  of  Pope — Attempt  to  turn  the  Union  right 
—Attack  on  Catlett's  Station — Death  of  General  Bohlen — 
Fight  at  Kettle  Run — The  enemy  cross  the  river — Their  posi- 
tion— McClellan's  tardiness  in  reinforcing  Pope — The  latter  at 
Manassas — Plan  and  battle  of  Manassas — Disobedience  to  or- 
ders of  Fitz  John  Porter — Bravery  and  death  of  Colonel  Koltes 
— Retreat  of  Pope  on  Centreville — Death  of  General  Stevens 
and  Kearney — The  armies  within  the  defences  of  Washington 
—Pope  resigns  his  command — Charges  against  Porttt. ......  218 


OOHTISTB.  IS 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 

A.PQC8T — SEPTEMBER,    1862. 

Battle  of  Baton  Rouge — Incidents  of  the  Conflict — Death  of  Geiv 
eral  Williams — Efficient  aid  of  the  Federal  gunboats — Defeat 
of  the  enemy — The  ram  Arkansas  destroyed — Indian  atrocities 
in  Minnesota,  their  defeat  by  Colonel  Sibley — Battle  near 
Richmond,  Kentucky — General  Nelson — The  disaster — Inva- 
sion of  Maryland — Lee's  Proclamation  to  the  People  of  that 
State — Governor  Curtin  calls  out  the  Militia  of  Pennsylvania 
. — Army  of  the  Potomac  in  motion — Colonel  Ellet  on  the  Mis- 
sissippi and  Yazoo — Capture  of  the  transport  Fair  Play — Bat- 
tle near  Denmark,  Tennessee — Threatened  invasion  of  Ohio — 
General  Lewis  Wallace — Murder,  by  guerillas,  of  General 
Robert  McCook — Battle  of  South  Mountain.. .  23S 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

SEPTEMBER,    1862. 

Attack  on  Harper's  terry — Its  disgraceful  surrender — Colonel 
Miles — His  death — General  Lee  at  Sharpsburg — Preparations 
for  the  coming  Battle — McClellan's  delay — The  enemy  rein- 
forced— The  Battle  of  Antietam — Gallantry  of  the  troops — 
Hooker  wounded — Sublime  courage  of  the  Twelfth  and  Thir- 
teenth Massachusetts  regiments — The  gallant  General  Mans- 
field slain — Conspicous  valor  of  Crawford  and  Gordon — Terrible 
carnage — The  tide  of  battle  turned  by  General  Franklin — The 
Right  Wing  victorious — Burnside  on  the  left — The  splendid 
valor  of  officers  and  men  at  the  Stone  Bridge — The  movement 
successful — Enemy  reinforced — The  peril  of  Burnside — McClel- 
lan,  and  the  Reserves  under  Porter — Dreadful  loss  on  both  sides 
— Lee  eludes  McClellan — Escapes  across  the  Potomac — Federal 
army  at  Harper's  Ferry 256 

CHAPTER  XXVL 

SEPTEMBER OCTOBER,  1862. 

Battle  of  Mumfordville,  Kentucky — Bravery  of  the  Federal  troop* 
— Morgan  evacuates  Cumberland  Gap — Engagement  at  Cave 
City — Confederates  defeated  at  Washington,  North  Carolina — 
Gunboat  Picket  explodes — Political  aspect  of  the  War — Mr. 
Lincoln's  Proclamation  of  Emancipation — Suspends  the  Writ 
of  Habeas  Corpus — Rebels  defeated  at  Owenboro,  Kentucky — 
Battle  of  luka — Convention  of  Governors  of  the  Loyal  States, 
at  Alatoona,  Pennsylvania — Effect  on  the  People — Mr.  Foote's 
Peace  Proposition  in  the  Confederate  Congress — Battle  of 
Augusta,  Kentucky — Battle  of  Corinth,  Mississippi — Valorou? 
Conduct  of  Officers  and  Men — Rebel  designs  on  the  Northwest 
abandoned — Ftuart's  raid  into  Pennsylvania — Great  Federal 
cavalry  chiefs 261 

1 


16  OOKTESTD. 

CHAPTER  XXVIL 

OCTOBER,    1862. 

Battle  of  Lavergne,  Tennessee — Battle  of  the  Hatchie  River — 
Expedition  to  the  St.  John's  River,  Florida — Battle  of  Perry- 
yille — Gallantry  of  Rosseau — The  Ninth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry 
— Escape  of  Bragg — Buell  removed  from  the  command — Gen- 
eral Rosecrans  commands  the  Army  of  the  Ohio — The  plunder 
carried  off  from  Kentucky — Epitome  of  minor  event* 271 

CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

OCTOBER — NOVEMBER,   1862 

The  Pirate  Alabama — Failure  of  the  efforts  for  her  capture — 
Expedition  against  the  Charleston  and  Savannah  Railroad — 
Reconnoissances  by  the  Army  of  the  Potomac — Seizure  of 
Snicker's,  Ashby's,  and  Thoroughfare  Gaps  by  the  Federals — 
Engagement  at  Maysville,  Arkansas — Captain  Dahlgren's  re- 
connoissance  to  Fredericksburg,  Virginia — Actions  at  Philomel 
and  New  Creek,  Virginia — Contest  at  Williamston,  North  Car- 
olina— Rebel  attempts  to  capture  Nashville — Union  expedition 
to  Thibodeauxville,  Louisiana — Reconnoissance  of  General 
McPherson  to  Holly  Springs — Fredericksbnrg,  Virginia,  sum- 
moned to  surrender 284 

CHAPTER  XXIX. 

DECEMBER,    1862. 

Thirty-eighth  Congress  assembles — President's  Annual  Message 
— Report  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury — Skirmish  at  Frank- 
lin, Virginia — Union  troops  captured  at  Hartsville,  Kentucky 
— Reconnoissances  of  General  Geary  to  Charlestown  and  Win- 
chester— Surrender  of  Winchester — General  Stuart's  raid  on 
Dumfries  and  Occoquan — General  Washburn's  expedition  to 
Coffeeville — The  steamship  Ariel  captured — The  Banks  expe- 
dition— Frauds  on  the  Federal  Government — General  Butler 
relieved  from  command  at  New  Orleans — Effects  of  the  block- 
ade of  Southern  ports 294 

CHAPTER  XXX. 

DKCKJfBKB,   1862. 

Battle  of  Fredericksbnrg — Difficulty  of  laying  the  Pontoons — The 
Bombardment — The  troops  cross— Rebel  defence^ — Franklin 
commences  the  battle  on  the  left — Its  incidents  and  result — 
The  right  and  centre — Firnich  and  Howard  attack  the  strong 
Rebel  position — Brillitnt  charge — Stern  conflict  on  the  centre 
— Gallantry  of  the  Union  generals — Hereiam  of  the  troops- 
Federal  and  Rebel  losses — The  Sanitary  Commission — The 

Of  Cane  Hill 309 


CONTENTS.  IS 

CHAPTER  XXXI. 

DECEMBEB,   1862 — JANUABY,    1863. 

The  closing  year — Expedition  of  General  Foster — Its  return — 
Capture  of  Holly  Springs — Battle  of  Davis'  Mills— Colonel 
Morgan — Van  Dorn  defeated — Organization  and  Movement  of 
General  Rosecrans'  army — Battle  of  Murfreesboro — McCook 
defeated  on  the  Right  Wing— Heroism  of  Sheridan — Gallantry 
and  death  of  General  Sill — Sublime  courage  of  Rosecrans — The 
second  day's  battle — Terrible  carnage — Loss  of  the  Monitor  at 
sea — General  Sherman's  attack  on  Vicksburg — Withdrawal  of 
the  army— Sherman  superseded — The  attack  on  Vicksburg 
postponed — Fights  at  Springfield  and  Hartsville — President 
Lincoln  proclaims  the  slaves  of  Rebels  free 311 

CHAPTER  XXXH. 

JANUABY — FEBBTJABY — MABCH,  1863. 

Battle  of  Hunts'  Crossroads — Carter's  expedition  into  East  Ten- 
nessee— Skirmish  at  Moorefield,  Virginia— Rebel  attack  on,  and 
capture  of,  Galviston,  Texas — The  Workingmen  of  Manchester, 
England,  address  Mr.  Lincoln — His  reply — Bombardment  and 
capture  of  Arkansas  Post — General  Burnside  superseded — The 
question  of  Negro  troops  in  the  army — Rebel  cruiser  Oreto — 
Destruction  of  the  steamboat  Hatteras — Rebel  attack  on  Fort 
Donelson — The  Conscription  Bill — Capture  of  the  Queen  of  the 
West — Destruction  of  the  Pirate  Nashville — Fight  at  Thomp- 
son's Station,  Tennessee — Cavalry  fight  of  Averill,  at  Kelly's 
Ford — Attack  on  Port  Hudson — Its  incidents  and  results — Vic- 
tory of  General  Gilmore  at  Somerset — Report  of  the  Com- 
mittee on  the  conduct  of  the  War 323 

CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

APBIL — MAY,    1863. 

Attack  on  Charleston — Admiral  Dupont  superseded — Naval  ac- 
tions at  Grand  Gulf,  Mississippi,  and  in  the  Bayou  Teche, 
Louisiana — Raids  in  both  armies — Marmadukes's  attempt  on 
Cape  Girardeau — His  defeat,  flight,  and  pursuit — Raid  of  Col- 
onel Streight— His  heroism— Surrender  to  a  superior  force — 
Great  raid  of  Colonel  Grierson — Colonel  Clayton's  raid — Repels 
Marmaduke's  division  with  two  hundred  and  thirty  men — Safe 
return  to  Helena 333 

CHAPTER  XXXIV. 
MAY,  1863. 

Hooker's  reorganization  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac — Six  corps 
concentrated  at  Chancellorsville —Lee's  counter-plot — Attack 
by  Stonewall  Jackson  on  the  Right  Wing — Panic  and  flight  of 
the  Eleventh  Corps — Enemy  checked  by  Berry's  divisoin — Bat- 
tle of  the  Wilderness— Jackson  mortally  wounded — Hooker 
reforms  his  lines — Battle  of  Chancellorsville — Hooker  again 
changes  his  lines — Battle  at  Fredericksburg  of  the  Sixth  Corps 
— Sedgwick  crosses  the  river — The  retreat  of  Hooker  across 
the  Rappahannock — His  address  to  the  army — The  troops  re- 
turn to  their  old  camps 345 


16  OOFTXNTB. 

CHAPTER  XXXV. 

JUNK — JULY,   1863. 

Stoneman's  raid — BatMe  of  Brandy  Station — Heroism  of  Kifl. 
patrick — Cavalry  ba  ties  of  Aldie  and  Upperville— The  Con- 
federates cross  the  Potamac — General  Hooker  relieved  of  the 
command,  and  General  Meade  appointed  his  successor — Kil- 
patrick  defeats  Stuart  at  Hanover,  Pennsylvania — First  day  of 
the  Battle  of  Gettysburg — Death  of  Reynolds — Second  day's 
fight,  and  its  incidents — Third  day's  battle — Splendid  Union 
victory— The  Sanitary  and  Christian  Commissions — The  Cooper 
Shop  Volunteer  Refreshment  Saloon 363 

CHAPTER  XXXVI. 

APRIL — JULY,    1863. 

General  Grant  takes  command  in  person  of  the  army  before  Vicks- 
bnrg — H  is  different  attempts  and  failures — Resolves  to  attack 
from  below — The  gunboats  pass  the  batteries — The  army 
marches  to  Hard  Times — The  attack  on  Grand  Gulf;  its  results 
— The  troops  at  Bruinsburg — Battles  which  follow — Capture 
of  Jackson,  Mississippi — The  army  marches  westward — Battles 
of  Champion  Hill  and  Black  River  Bridge — Vicksburg  invested 
— The  assaults,  siege,  and  surrender — Result  of  the  campaign — 
Battle  of  Milliken's  Bend — Operations  against  Port  Hudson — 
Its  close  investment  and  surrender — Attack  on  Brashear  and 
Terrebonne — Inhuman  Massacres  of  Negroes — The  attempt  on 
Helena — Progress  of  the  War 366 

CHAPTER  XXXVII. 

JULY — AUGUST,   1863 

Overthrow  of  the  Rebel  power  in  Arkansas — The  guerillas  and 
bushwhackers — Qnantrel — Lawrence  Massacre — Attempts  to 
murder  General  Blunt — Raid  in  Missouri — Morgan's  raid  into 
Kentucky,  Indiana,  and  Ohio — His  capture  arid  escape — The 
Reign  of  Terror  in  New  York,  and  suppression  of  the  Riot — 
Losses  of  life  and  property — Department  of  the  South — Gil- 
more  and  Dahlgren — Morris  Island — Bombardment  of  Fort 
Wagner — The  "  Swamp  Angel " — Assault  on  Sumter — Damage 
to  its  walls — Evacuation  of  Morris  Island 37fc 

CHAPTER  XXXVHL 

SEPTEMBER OCTOBER,  1863. 

Bragg  at  Chattanooga — Flanked  by  Rosecrans — March  of  the 
Army  of  the  Tennessee — Rosecrans  gains  Chattanooga  by 
strategy,  without  a  battle — Battle  of  Chickamauga — Thomas 
victorious  on  the  left — The  right  and  centre  pressed — End  of 
the  first  day's  battle — Forces  of  the  two  armies — McCook,  Grit- 
tenden,  and  Thomas — Second  day's  battle — Heroism  of  the 
troops — The  right  and  centre  swept  away  by  overwhelming 
numbers — Steadfastness  of  the  left  wing — Desperate  struggle 
of  Thomas — The  crisis — The  gallant  Steadman — The  battld 
Mred — General  Grant  put  in  command  of  the  Mississippi  Di- 
Tirioa— Other  change*.. Ml 


COWTBNTEL  17 

CHAPTER  XXXIX. 

SEPTEMBER,    1863 — MARCH,    1864. 

fLe  situation  at  Chattanooga — Burnside  at  Knoxville — Grant's 
plan — Capture  of  Lookout  Mountain  and  Missionary  Ridge — 
The  victory — Pursuit  of  the  enemy — Battle  at  Ringgold — Con- 
centration of  the  troops—Lee  retreats  across  the  Potomac — 
Reaches  the  Rapidan — Meade  at  Culpepper — Meade  outflanked, 
retreats — Cavalry  battle  at  Brandy  Station — Warren  defeats 
the  enemy  at  Bristow  Station — General  Grant  in  command  of 
all  the  Union  armies — AverilPs  raid — Sherman's  Meridian  Ex- 
pedition— Sherman  succeeds  Grant  in  command  01'  the  Military 
Department  of  the  Mississippi — Grant's  future  plans 39€ 

CHAPTER  XL. 

SEPTEMBER,    1863 — MAT,    1864. 

Grant's  responsibilities — Call  for  half  a  million  of  troops — The 
Expedition  into  Florida — Battle  of  Olustee — Kilpatrick's  raid 
into  Richmond — Death  of  Dahlgren — Raid  of  Forrest  into  Ken- 
tucky— Surrender  of  Union  City — Attack  on  Paducah — Mas- 
sacre at  Fort  Pillow — The  Red  River  Expedition — March  to 
Alexandria — Defeat  of  Banks — Steele  retreats — Return  of  the 
gunboats  to  Alexandria — Engineering  skill  of  Colonel  Bailey — 
His  promotion — The  gunboats  Signal  and  Covington,  and  the 
transport  Warner  destroyed — Return  of  the  Expedition — End 
of  Banks'  Military  career — Returns  to  New  Orleans — Canby  in 
the  field 4M 

CHAPTER  XLI. 
MAT,  1864 

Military  movements — Butler  at  Bermuda  Hundred — Drury'g 
Bluff— Wilson's  Wharf— Attack  on  Petersburg — Changes  in 
the  corps — Grant's  plan — Battle  of  the  Wilderness — First  day's 
fight — Second  day's  battle — Lee  attacks  the  left  and  centre — 
His  failure,  and  desperate  assault  on  the  right — Wadsworth 
mortally  wounded — Gallantry  of  Sedgwick — Third's  day's  bat- 
tle— Lee's  plan  to  outflank  Grant — Death  of  Sedgwick — Batlle 
of  Spottsylvania — Grant's  despatch — Terrible  battle  of  the 
12th — Desperate  fighting — The  losses — Results  favorable  to  the 
Union  side — Reconnoissances — Battle  of  May  18th — The  re- 
pulse—Torbert  at  Guinney's  Station. 414 

CHAPTER  XLII. 

MAT — JUNE — JULT,   1864. 

Grant  makes  another  flank  movement — Ewell  repulsed — Fight- 
ing on  the  North  Anna — The  river  crossed — Strength  of  the 
enemy's  position — Grant  recrosses  the  North  Anna — Battle  of 
Tolopatomoy  Creek — The  fighting  continuous — Battles  of  Cold 


18  CONTENT* 

Harbor  and  the  Chickahominy — Intre*  •••  »-n  and  fighting- 
Grant's  famous  march  across  the  James- -.Attacks  on  Peter*, 
burg — Their  result — Raids  of  Sheridan — Crook  and  Averill  in 
Western  Virginia — Sigel's  failure — Early  defeats  Hunter — 
Sinking  of  the  pirate  Alabama — Sherman's  army — The  Atlanta 
campaign — Dalton  flanked — Battle  of  Resaca — Fight  at  Dallas 
— Alatoona  flanked — Battle  of  Kenesaw  Mountain — Death  of 
Polk — Sherman's  first  defeat — The  army  reaches  and  crosses 
the  Chattahoochee — Atlanta  insight 424 

CHAPTER  XLIII. 

JULY — DECEMBER,    1864. 

Hood's  attack — Assault  on  McPherson — His  death — Howard 
succeeds  McPherson — Resignation  of  Hooker — Stoncman'a 
raid  and  capture — Sherman's  communications  in  danger — Kil- 
patrick's  raid — The  army  on  the  Macon  road — Atlanta  cut  off 
and  evacuated— Slocum  occupies  the  city — Non-combatants 
ordered  out — Gallantry  of  Corse  at  Alatoona — Pursuit  of  Hood 
— Preparations  for  the  March  to  the  Sea — Rome  and  Atlanta 
burned — Sherman's  orders  respecting  foraging  parties — Divis- 
ions of  the  army — Pillage  of  Madison — Cavalry  fight  at  Love- 
joy — Milledgeville  reached — Battle  of  Griswoldville — Millen — 
Defeat  of  Wheeler  at  Waynesboro — Sherman's  march  to  Sa- 
vannah— Capture  of  Fort  McAllister — Savannah  evacuated — 
Sherman  enters  the  city — Thomas's  campaign  to  Nashville — 
Utter  defeat  of  Hood 439 

CHAPTER  XLIV. 

JULY — SEPTEMBER,    1864. 

Early's  invasion  of  Maryland — Wallace  defeated — Grand  uprising 
of  the  Militia  at  the  North — Rebels  near  Washington — Burn- 
ing of  Chambersburg — Wright  and  Hunter  relieved — Sheridan 
in  command  in  the  Valley — Failure  of  the  mine  at  Petersburg 
— Call  for  more  troops—  Capture  of  Forts  Gaines  and  Morgan, 
Mobile — Dutch  Gap  Canal — Warren's  fight  for  the  Weldon 
Railroad — Battle  of  Ream's  Station — Sheridan  in  the  Shenan- 
doah  Valley — Pursuit  of  Early — Mosby  captures  the  trains — 
Sheridan  retreats — Bolivar  Heights — Second  advance  of  Sheri- 
dan— Berryville — Explanation  by  Grant — Battles  of  Opequan 
Creek  and  Fisher's  Hill — Early  defeated — Brown's  Gap— Sheri- 
dan retires — His  report — New  position — Leaves  for  Washing- 
ton— Grant's  sudden  movement  on  the  James — Early's  attack 
in  Sheridan's  absence — Rout  of  the  army — Sheridan's  oppor- 
tune arrival — The  enemy  overthrown — Tne  pursuit — The  Re- 
bela  abandon  Shenandoah  Valley 451 

CHAPTER  XLV 

OCTOBER,    1864 — JANUARY,    1865. 

Another  attempt  on  Richmond — Hatcher's  Run — Failure  to  tare 
the  Rebel  right--  Operations  North  of  the  James — The  ram 


CONTENTS.  19 

Albermarle  destroyed — Rebel  raid  on  St.  Albans,  Vermont — 
Operations  in  Arkansas,  Kansas,  and  Missouri — Price — Steele 
— Eosecrans — Forrest  captures  Athens — General  Burbridgt 
sent  to  destroy  the  enemy's  Salt-works  at  Saltville — Expedition 
from  Vicksburg — Grierson's  expedition — Breckinridge  in  East 
Tennessee — Stoneman  sent  against  him — Plot  to  burn  New 
York — Warren's  expedition — Capture  of  Fort  Fisher — Guerillas 
— Perilous  situation  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac — Peace  Com- 
missioners— Their  interview  with  the  President — The  Southern 
Prisons — Andersonville — Wirtz  tried,  convicted,  and  executed 
—Sherman's  preparations  to  invade  the  Carolinas 461 

CHAPTER  XLVL 

FKBKUART — MARCH,    1865. 

Fhe  right  wing  of  Sherman's  army  threatens  Charleston — The 
left,  Augusta — Heavy  floods  detain  the  army — Kilpatrick's 
cavalry — The  Salkahatchie  forced — The  Confederate  leaders 
outwitted — The  Charleston  and  Augxista  Railroad  destroyed — 
Orangeburg — Crossing  of  the  Edisto — Columbia  burned — Burn- 
ing of  Winnsboro — Feint  on  Charlotte — Sherman  marches  on 
Fayetteville — Cheraw — Fall  of  Charleston — The  two  wings 
meet — Schofield  and  Terry — Battles  of  Averysboro  and  Benton- 
ville — Goldsboro  occupied — Sherman  visits  Grant — The  army 
refitted — The  national  finances 483 

CHAPTER  XLVII. 

FEBRUARY MAY,    1865. 

Interview  between  Grant  and  Sherman — Stoneman's  raid — Pre- 
parations by  Canby  against  Mobile — Sheridan's  raid  in  the 
Shenandoah  Valley  and  around  Richmond  to  White  House — 
Grant's  plan  to  move  round  the  Rebel  flank — Rebel  attack  on 
Fort  Steadman — Sherman  returns  to  the  army — Grant's  move- 
ment— Battle  of  Five  Forks — Grand  attack  on  the  enemy's 
lines — Petersburg  and  Richmond  evacuated — Lee  retreats  to- 
ward Danville — The  pursuit — Weitzel  enters  Richmond — Lee 
pressed — Grant  demands  his  surrender — The  capitulation — 
Sherman  returns  to  his  army — Receives  the  news  of  the  fall  of 
Petersburg  and  Richmond — He  moves  on  Raleigh — Sherman's 
interview  with  Johnson — The  armistice — Stoneman's  raid — 
President  Lincoln  assassinated — His  obsequies — The  conspira- 
tors tried,  convicted,  and  executed — Capture  of  Mobile — Wil- 
ton's cavalry  expedition — Grand  Review  at  Washington — Tha 
troops  disbanded. 4?I 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES 


OF 


TFIE  PRINCIPAL  ACTORS  IN  THE  GREAT  CNB.  WAR 


MM 

Abraham  Lincoln 508 

Major-General  Winfield  Scott  509 
General  Ulysses  S.  Grant.. . .  511 
Lt.-Gen.  W.  T.  Sherman. ....  511 
Major-Gen.  P.  H.  Sheridan..  513 
Major-Gen.  Irwin  McDowell.  514 
Major-Gen.  G.  B.  McClellan. .  514 
Major-Gen.  0.  0.  Howard...  516 

Major-Gen.  B.  F.  Butler 517 

Major-Gen.  E.  V.  Sumner...  517 

Major-Gen.  G.  G.  Meade 518 

Major-Gen.  A.  E.  Bnrnside..  519 
Major-Gen.  Joseph  Hooker. .  520 
Major-Gen.  J.  C.  Fremont. . .  520 
Major-Gen.  W.  S.  Rosecrans.  521 
Major-Gen.  G.  H.  Thomas...  522 
Major-Gen.  J.  B.  McPherson.  523 

Major-Gen.  N.  P.  Banks 525 

Major-Gen.  John  Pope 525 

Major-Gen.  W.  S.  Hancock..  526 
Major-Gen.  Daniel  B.  Birney.  527 
Major-Gen.  John  Sedgwick. .  528 
Major-Gen.  J.  McA.  Schofield  529 
Major-Gen.  H.  W.  Slocum...  530 


Major-Gen.  0.  McK.  Mitchel)  531 
Major-Gen.  J.  Kilpatrick ....  532 
Major-Gen.  John  W.  Geary..  532 
Brig.-Gen.  J.  S.  Wadsworth..  533 
Major-Gen.  Geo.  Stoneman. .  534 
Major-Gen.  Alfred  H.  Terry.  534 
Brig.-Gen.  Nathaniel  Lyon..  535 
Major-Gen.  John  G.  Foster..  535 

Major-Gen.  Franz  Sigel 536 

Major-Gen.  J.  Q.  A.  Gilmore.  537 
Brig.-Gen.  Alexander  Hays. .  537 
Major-Gen.  Philip  Kearney..  538 
Major-Gen.  Jno.  F.  Reynolds  538 
General  Alfred  Pleasonton..  539 
Brig.-Gen.  Michael  Corcoran.  540 
Colonel  Elmer  E.  Ellsworth.  540 
Colonel  Edward  D.  Baker...  541 
Lieutenant  John  T.  Greble. .  542 
Vice-Adm'ID.  G.  Farragut.  543 
Rear-Adm'l  David  D.  Porter.  544 
Rear-Adm'l  S.  F.  Dupont. . .  544 
Rear-Adm'l  J.  A.  Dahlgren..  545 
Rear-Adm'l  A.  H.  Foote..  .  64  S 


BIOGRAPHIES  OF  LEADING  CONFEDERATES 


Jefferson  Davis 547 

Lient.-Gen.  Robert  E.  Lee. . .  548 
Major-Gen.  Jos.  E.  Johnston  549 
Lt.-Gen.  Thomas  J.  Jackson.  550 


Major-Gen.  Peter  G.  T.  Bean- 
regard 660 

Lt.-Gen.  J.  Longs t reel 552 


~ 

HISTORY  OF  THE  GREAT  REBELLION 


CHAPTEB  L 

BAUSKB  Of  THI  REBELLION — TARIFF  Or  1816 — TRK  NULLIFICATION  DOC- 
TRINE Or  JOHN  0.  CALHOUN — PROMPT  MEASURES  Or  PRESIDENT  JACK- 
IOV — THK  PART  PLATED  BT  SOUTH  CAROLINA — DOCTRINE  OJ  HTAT1 

SUPREMACY — SLATERT  IN  THE  UNITED  8TATKS MISSOURI  COM'  ROMI81 

WILMOT  PROVISO— SLAVERY  IN  KANSAS INFLAMED  STATE  OF  PARTIB8 

— BUCHANAN'S  ADMINISTRATION — SOUTHERN  CONSPIRATORS.  YANCEY 
AND  FLOYD TUB  SOUTH  PREPARING  FOR  WAR — POPULAR  PRESENTI- 
MENTS. 

DIVINE  Providence,  as  seen  in  the  history  of  all  nations, 
presides  over  the  destinies  of  mankind.  The  fierce  and 
effervescent  passions  of  the  human  mind,  the  desire  of  con- 
quest, the  coveted  objects  of  stimulated  ambition,  the  un- 
scrupulous efforts  of  tyranny,  oppression,  and  wrong,  are  so 
controlled  as  to  vindicate  the  perfection  of  the  moral  gov- 
ernment of  the  Supreme  arbiter  of  events,  and  prove  that 
the  "  Most  High  ruleth  in  the  kingdoms  of  men." 

Such  a  consideration,  though  frequently  disregarded  by 
historians,  is  indispensable  in  the  discussion  of  any  portion 
of  the  history  of  a  people  who  laid  the  foundations  of  a 
great  Republic,  firm  and  sure,  on  the  grand  principle  of  re- 
ligion ;  and  whose  institutions  and  laws,  closely  entwined 
therewith,  flourish,  at  once  the  glory  and  safety  of  Consti- 
tutional liberty.  The  wisdom  of  Providence  developed  the 
resources  of  struggling  colonies,  gave  them  a  Washington 
to  lead  their  armies,  broke  the  rod  of  the  oppressor,  pro 
claimed  liberty  to  the  people,  and  raised,  under  the  fostering 
care  of  heaven,  the  mighty  republic  whose  bounds  are 
washed  by  oceans,  and  contain  a  wider  area  than  the  great 
monarchies  of  old. 

For  a  period  of  eighty  years  the  nation  grew,  prospered 
with  astonishing  increase,  and  was  happy.  On  a  fruitful 
•oil,  the  emigrant  found  a  home.  Agriculture  raised  thf 

(21) 


28  CAUSES  or  THE  BKBXLUOK. 

prod  actions  of  the  earth  in  abundance;  manufactures  pro- 
vided for  the  wants  of  population ;  commerce  poured  in 
profusion  the  commodities  of  far  distant  nations  into  the 
lap  of  the  opulent ;  and  while  the  solemn  temples  for  divine 
worship  rose  throughout  the  land,  education  erected  schools, 
the  arts  were  cultivated,  science  flourished,  and  the  people, 
at  home  and  in  the  most  distant  climes,  were  in  safety,  and 
honored,  beneath  the  glorious  ensign  of  the  nation.  It  is 
not  to  be  expected,  in  the  state  of  human  nature,  with  its 
passions  and  varied  objects  of  self-interest,  that  every  thing 
would  go  on  without  any  diminution  of  prosperity,  or  a  gov- 
ernment exist  without  the  conflicting  views  and  aims  of 
opposite  factions.  "Wicked  demagogues  and  designing 
Iraaves  have  always  existed,  in  all  ages  and  communities. 
Our  nation  formed  no  exception  to  the  general  rule.  Had 
any  one  predicted  the  evils  that  should  in  a  brief  space  fall 
like  a  thunderbolt  of  desolation,  and  shake  the  foundations 
of  Government  from  circumference  to  centre,  he  would  have 
been  deemed  unworthy  of  credit,  if  not  demented. 

But  a  dark  cloud  of  portentous  gloom  lowered  over  the 
nation  in  her  happiest  hours.  It  sometimes,  indeed,  par- 
tially disappeared,  but  still  remained,  at  times  increasing, 
growing  blacker  and  blacker;  till  at  last,  pregnant  with 
ruin,  bloodshed,  and  desolation,  it  burst  with  terrific  vio- 
lence, filling  loyal  hearts  with  dismay,  and  threatening  to 
sweep  in  the  down-pouring  flood  every  landmark  sacred  to 
the  fathers  of  old,  and  every  star  from  our  political  horizon. 

The  tocsin  of  war  resounded  throughout  the  land.  The 
drum  and  shrill  bugle  note  summoned  loyal  hearts  to  rally 
round  the  flag,  and  defend  the  Constitution.  Families  were 
divided,  and  a  million  of  men  rose  to  imbrue  their  hands  in 
fratricidal  blood,  and  hostile  armies  stood  looking  each 
other  in  the  face,  ready  to  waste,  destroy,  kill,  and  trample 
under  foot  all  that  opposed.  And  all  this  was  in  a  civilized 
nation  of  the  same  origin,  language,  institutions,  and  laws ; 
a  nation  professing  Christianity — in  the  latter  half  of  the 
nineteenth  century — adoring  the  same  God  through  the  same 
Redeemer.  Each  called  on  heaven  for  confusion  to  the 
other ;  each  drew  the  manslaying  sword,  and  fought  until 
the  most  powerful  prevailed.  After  that,  peace  was  restored, 
and  liberty  to  a  down-trodden  race ;  but  it  could  not  bring 
Wok  the  brave  men  sacrificed  on  many  a  bloody  field,  heal 


STULLiriCATIUN  BOCTMNX.  SI 

oroken  hearts,  drown  the  piercing  cries  of  the  fatherless 
orphan,  or  dry  np  the  bereaved  widow's  tears.  Strange 
anomaly  I  which  seems  like  some  horrid  nightmare,  but  too 
real,  alas  1  Wonderful  history,  full  of  dreadful  tragedies  aa 
ever  were  enacted  on  the  stage  of  time,  thrilling  and  capti- 
vating the  heart. 

It  is  our  task,  within  the  limits  assigned,  to  trace  the  ori- 
gin of  the  feud  that  bathed  the  nation  in  blood,  to  follow  the 
course  of  events  that  drew  armies  to  the  ensanguined  field, 
to  describe  faithfully  the  battles,  skirmishes,  incidents,  toils, 
dangers,  and  sufferings  in  which  the  combatants  engaged; 
and,  following  the  best  guides,  aided  by  our  experience  of 
the  actual  conflict  for  four  years  in  the  Federal  service,  lead 
the  reader  to  a  just  appreciation  of  this  portion  of  national 
history,  and  only  part  when  rebellious  citizens  lay  down 
their  arms,  and  happy  peace  once  more  smiles  on  a  distracted 
and  tempest-tossed  nation. 

The  terrible  monster  of  Kebellion  had  three  heads,  now  to 
be  described,  namely,  the  experiment  of  Nullification, 
attempted  in  1828  by  John  C.  Calhoun,  the  doctrine  of  State 
Supremacy,  and  the  Perpetuation  of  Slavery. 

Congress,  in  1816,  made  a  reduction  on  imported  woollen 
and  cotton  goods  of  five  per  cent.,  which  was  not  favored 
by  those  who  desired  protection,  and  such  required  a  higher 
tariff  In  1824,  a  law  was  made  increasing  the  profits  on 
certain  manufactures,  but  this  tariff  was  found  not  to  afford 
sufficient  protection  to  the  manufactures  of  Eastern  States, 
the  Pennsylvania  Iron  trade,  and  the  wool  and  hemp  trade 
of  the  Northern  and  Western  States.  After  a  severe  con- 
test, in  1827, 1828,  between  these  interests  and  the  advocates 
of  the  cotton  interest  in  the  South,  a  tariff  bill  was  passed 
imposing  duties  averaging  fifty  per  cent,  on  imports. 

The  representatives  of  certain  important  Southern  States 
violently  opposed  the  bill,  and  John  C.  Calhoun,  a  man  of 
genius,  and  wielding  great  logical  powers,  revolved  in  hia 
mind  the  bold  design  of  Nullification.  Meetings  were  held 
in  different  parts  of  South  Carolina  in  defence  of  Nullifica- 
tion, and  documents  were  printed  and  distributed  declaring 
the  acts  of  Congress  for  the  protection  of  Eastern  and 
Northern  manufactures  unconstitutional,  and  inviting  other 
Southern  States  to  aid  South  Carolina  in  preventing  theii 
txeoution.  In  1832,  on  the  24th  of  November,  the  Conven 


14  PROMPT   MEASURES   OF  JACKSOJC. 

tion  at  Columbia  passed  the  Nullification  Act ;  forbade 
to  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States  in  any  mattel 
wherein  the  validity  of  the  ordinance  was  concerned ;  and  de- 
clared that  any  attempt  at  enforcing  the  revenue  laws,  except 
through  the  civil  courts,  would  "justify  that  State  in  seced 
ing  from  the  Union,  and  in  establishing  a  separate  and  in- 
dependent government."  The  Legislature,  which  was  in 
session,  approved  of  the  ordinance,  and  ordered  the  State  to 
prepare  for  defence ;  raised,  armed,  and  equipped  as  many 
men  as  were  deemed  sufficient  to  resist  the  Government  in 
collecting  the  revenue,  and  declared  that  resistance  was  to 
be  made  to  the  utmost  When  General  Jackson,  then  Presi- 
dent of  the  United  States,  declared  his  intention  of  collect- 
ing the  revenue,  and  warned  the  people  of  South  Carolina 
in  a  proclamation,  Governor  Hayne  in  another  proclamation 
defended  Nullification,  and  called  for  twelve  thousand  vol- 
unteers to  arm  against  the  Federal  forces.  The  Force  Bill, 
which  gave  the  President  greater  power,  and  extended  the 
jurisdiction  of  the  Courts  of  the  United  States  so  as  to  dea* 
with  cases  arising  under  the  revenue  laws,  was  passed  28th 
of  February,  1883,  and  the  President,  by  sending  General 
Scott  with  a  body  of  troops  to  Charleston,  thus  crushed  this 
incipient  rebellion.  If  the  imbecile  President,  James  Bu- 
chanan, who  ruled  during  the  outbreak  of  the  great  civil  war, 
had  used  the  same  strenuous  efforts,  the  country  might 
have  been  saved  from  rebellion.  The  seed  sown  by  Cal- 
houn  and  his  associates  sprung  up  afterward,  and  South 
Carolina  was  destined  to  take  a  leading  part  in  treason 
against  the  Government,  and  to  "  pierce  herself  through  with 
many  sorrows."  Charleston  played  a  prominent  part  in  the 
war  of  the  great  rebellion,  and  Columbia,  in  which  the  Ordi- 
nance of  Nullification  was  passed,  beheld  a  fugitive  and 
terror-stricken  people,  and  became  a  heap  of  burning  ruins  - 
Another  head  of  rebellion  was  the  doctrine  of  State 
Supremacy,  in  opposition  to  the  policy  of  Centralization. 
Various  arguments  were  used  to  justify  the  right  of  secea- 
eion  from  the  Federal  Union,  claimed  by  the  seoeding 
States.  The  absurdity  of  the  doctrine  is  obvious.  It  is  evi- 
dent that  the  States  gave  up  all  rights  to  the  Federal  Gov- 
ernment for  the  common  good,  and  that  the  people  of  all  the 
States  established  the  Federal  Government.  "The  people" 
framed  and  adopted  t'le  Constitution  and  they  have  a  right 


IHTBODUOTION  OF  SLAYBBY.  26 

to  amend,  change,  or  alter.  Those  who  made  the  Constitu- 
tion had  no  intention  that  any  State  should  have  the  right 
of  secession,  and  for  such  a  procedure  the  Constitution  itself 
makes  no  provision.  As  to  the  idea  of  a  partnership  that 
might  be  dissolved  at  pleasure,  the  arguments  in  favor  of 
secession  are  untenable.  They  were,  however,  satisfactory 
to  many,  who  determined  to  break  up  the  fair  fabric  which 
fcheir  fathers  had  reared  rather  than  forego  the  desire  for 
State  Bights. 

The  third  head  of  the  cruel  monster — Rebellion — was  the 
desire  to  perpetuate  human  slavery,  and  this  was  the  imme- 
diate cause  of  the  terrible  conflict  that  ensued,  and  continued 
to  rage  during  four  long  years. 

Slavery  was  first  introduced  by  a  Dutch  trading  ship  from 
the  coast  of  Africa,  which  brought  twenty  slaves  up  the 
James  river  in  Virginia.  Fresh  importations  of  negroes 
took  place  subsequently,  and  the  nefarious  traffic  became 
common. 

At  the  end  of  the  Revolution,  the  framers  of  the  Constitu- 
tion had  to  take  things  as  they  found  them,  and  the  subject 
of  slavery  was  one  of  the  greatest  difficulties  which  sages 
and  statesmen  of  those  and  future  times  were  destined  to 
encounter.  Slavery  grew  and  increased,  and  the  most  trying 
complications  existed  on  the  settlement  of  new  Territories. 

When  Kentucky,  Tennessee  and  Alabama  were  respec- 
tively formed  from  portions  of  Virginia,  North  Carolina,  and 
Mississippi,  and  as  Territories  ceded  to  the  Federal  Govern- 
ment, it  was  with  the  express  stipulation  that,  both  as 
Territories  and  when  the  requisite  number  of  inhabitants 
should  entitle  them  to  admission  into  the  Union  as  States, 
slavery  should  be  fully  recognized  and  duly  protected. 

Several  severe  contests  took  place  in  the  Congress  of  the 
United  States  respecting  slavery  in  Missouri,  both  as  a 
Territory,  and  when  she  sought  admission  as  a  State.  The 
Missouri  Compromise,  introduced  by  Henry  Clay  in  1820, 
was  intended  to  restrain  slavery  within  certain  limits.  Texas, 
upon  her  admission  into  the  Union  in  1845,  by  a  clause  in 
her  constitution,  recognized  the  existence  of  slavery  within 
her  limits.  During  the  war  with  Mexico,  the  Wtfmot 
Proviso  was  intended  to  prohibit  slavery  within  any  territory 
acquired  by  the  United  States  from  Mexico ;  and  also  invol- 
untary servitude  except  in  orininal  oases  after  conviction 
& 


26  SLAVERY   IN    KANSAS. 

Henry  Clay's  resolutions,  known  as  the  Compromise  o 
effected  very  little,  and  a  wordy  war  was  kept  up  on  the 
subject  of  slavery.  In  1852,  the  National  Convention  of  the 
Whig  and  Democratic  parties  accepted  the  Compromise  of 
1850,  which  excluded  slavery  from  the  Territory  of 
Nebraska.  The  bill  of  Senator  Douglas,  in  1854,  for  organiz- 
ing the  Territory  of  Nebraska,  had  a  clause  declaring  the 
Missouri  restriction  on  slavery  void,  and  this  bill  became 
a  law.  In  the  discussion,  however,  it  had  been  modified, 
and  on  its  final  adoption  contained  this  provision,  that  the 
Act  of  1850  did  not  intend  to  legislate  slavery  into  any  State, 
nor  yet  exclude  it,  but  left  the  people  to  manage  their  domes- 
tic institutions  in  their  own  way,  and  that  such  a  policy  should 
remain  as  a  fundamental  principle  of  their  Constitution. 

Subsequently,  Kansas  Territory  was  organized  and  the 
law  promulgated  recognizing  the  liberty  of  the  people  to 
manage  their  institutions  in  their  own  way.  A  fierce  strug- 
gle arose  between  the  free  state  and  pro-slavery  parties,  on 
the  question  of  slavery.  The  most  atrocious  murders  were 
committed,  and  a  state  of  anarchy  prevailed,  in  which  ruffian- 
ism was  rampant,  elections  frustrated,  the  ballot  box  inter* 
fered  with,  the  judiciary  corrupt,  and  a  state  of  things 
prevalent  such  as  to  make  the  blood  run  cold.  The  Kansas 
imbroglio  involved  the  North  and  South,  and  agitations  of 
an  alarming  character  began  to  threaten  civil  war.  The 
Topeka  Convention  adopted  a  free  Constitution  for  Kansas, 
and  after  a  desperate  contest  between  the  advocates  and 
opponents  of  slavery  in  Congress,  the  bill  in  favor  of  admit- 
ting Kansas  as  a  free  State  was  passed  July  Sd,  1856. 

Though  Congress  took  ho  part  in  the  contests  which 
individual  States,  north  and  south,  carried  on  in  their 
legislative  capacity,  the  intenseness  of  the  hatred  grew 
great,  and  statesmen  of  the  highest  abilities  were  filled  with 
apprehensions  the  most  gloomy. 

The  rendition  of  fugitive  slaves  became  so  great  an  ex- 
pense as  rendered  the  attempt  often  worse  than  useless, 
while  abolitionists,  on  the  other  hand,  were  often  treated 
with  the  greatest  barbarism,  The  breach  between  North 
and  South  was  widened  by  abolition  lecturers  and  the  por- 
tions of  the  Northern  press  that  took  a  deep  interest  in  tha 
slave  question.  A  feeling  of  intense  natred  was  increasing 
in  Congress,  md  new  political  combination  were  forming, 


SOUTHERN   CONSPIRATOE8.  2? 

*hich,  by  adopting  an  anti-slavery  platform,  brought  the 
North  and  South  into  competition  for  the  prize  of  govern- 
mental power. 

The  danger  seemed  passed  when  Mr.  Buchanan  was  cleo 
ted  President,  and  but  for  a  few  Southern  conspirators,  bent 
on  destroying  the  Government  which  they  had  been  plotting 
against  many  years,  better  and  wiser  counsels  might  yet 
have  prevailed.  This  was  not  the  intention  of  those  who 
insidiously  poisoned  the  public  mind,  while  excitement  dur- 
ing a  political  canvass  masked  their  hidden  attempts.  They 
studied  how  the  very  triumph  of  the  Republican  party 
might  yet  favor  their  aims,  and  while  the  North  was  all  un- 
conscious of  their  diabolical  intents,  to  destroy  one  of  the 
noblest  fabrics  ever  erected  by  mankind. 

The  imbecility  of  Buchanan's  administration,  and  his 
want  of  appreciation  of  the  important  responsibility  of  his 
high  office,  were  favorable  to  the  Southern  conspirators, 
while,  the  Kansas  difficulty  being  adjusted,  public  feeling 
at  the  North  settled  into  a  fatal  security.  Nothing  but  an 
independent  government  would  now  suffice  the  conspirators, 
who  left  the  campaign  of  1860  to  work  out  its  own  results 
and  made  preparations  for  rebellion. 

Every  thing  was  favorable.  Yancey  and  Da  visv  matured 
their  plans,  and  Floyd  and  Thompson,  members  of  the  cabi 
net,  cooperated.  Floyd  made  such  disposition  of  the  troopa 
at  the  forts,  and  so  distributed  the  forces  of  the  army  and 
navy,  as  might  impede  the  new  President,  and  arms  were 
sent  to  the  South  in  large  quantities,  to  have  all  in  readiness. 
Mr.  Lincoln  was  elected  in  November,  i860,  and  reports 
were  circulated  that  the  Republicans  designed  to  free  the 
slaves  and  raise  an  insurrection.  The  nation  stood  on  the 
summit  of  a  volcano,  and  Northern  fanatics  talked  and 
laughed  with  unbecoming  levity.  The  crisis  was  at  hand ; 
but,  when  the  blow  was  to  be  given,  the  boldest  of  the 
conspirators  trembled.  The  people  feared,  but  they  were 
told  that  there,  would  be  no  war;  that  the  North 
would  not  fight,  and  that  secession  would  be  aided  by 
Northern  sympathizers,  who  were  inflamed  against  the 
Republican  party.  The  words  of  the  leaders  fired  the  South 
ern  heart.  Now  was  the  time  for  action.  If  the  present 
passed,  so  good  an  opportunity  would  not  again  occur, 
bome  wanted  to  call  a  convention  of  the  Southern  States,  bu 


28  POPULAR  PRESENTIMENTS. 

others  thought  that  such  a  delay  would  make  their  attempt* 
too  late,  and  tend  to  strengthen  Northern  power.  An  un- 
easy feeling,  therefore,  arose  in  all  parts  of  the  country; 
public  confidence,  amid  the  mutterings  of  discontent,  waa 
k)st,  a  state  of  fevered  excitement  prevailed,  and  each 
day  added  to  the  apprehensions  which  already,  like  a  gloomy 
pall,  overspread  the  nation.  The  North  could  not  believe 
that  war  was  imminent,  and  made  not  the  slightest  prepara- 
tion. The  South  was  on  the  alert,  and  well  concerted 
schemes  were  on  foot  to  secede  and  establish  an  indepen- 
dent nation,  in  which  Cotton  would  rule  and  the  ilarf 
power  prevail. 


CHAPTJija,  AA. 

t».lf!TIO>-   OF   ABRAHAM  LINCOLN BOl'TIl  CAROLINA  ANDGKGKGIA  KKCEOB — 

AJCDKR8ON   AT    FORT    Kl'MTHR BTAR    Of    THK    WEST SODTHKRN    MEMBEKS 

111     CONGRESS — INiDaU  RATION     OF     LINCOLN — UI8     CABINKT BOMBARD- 

HKNT   AND  FALL  OF    FORT  8CMTKR — 11KROI8M  OF  ANDKRSCN  AND  TUB  QAS- 

KISON CALL  FOR  8KVKNTY-FIVK  TUOUBAND    TROOPS    FOR    THRKS  MONTH! 

THK  BLAVK  BTATKS  RKFUSK  TO  SKND  TUKIR  QUOTAS — PATRIOTIC  SPIRIT 

IK  THK  NORTH — PROCLAMATION  OF  JKKFERSON  DAVIS — VIRGINIA  HKCKDE3 
— BCRRKNDKR  OF  NORFOLK — 8URRKNDKH  OF  HAKI'Kii's  FERRT — TU« 
FKOPLK  ROCSKD  TO  WAR. 

THK  election  of  Abraham  Lincoln  as  President  of  the 
United  States  by  the  vote  of  seventeen  States,  or  one  hun- 
dred and  eighty  electors  out  of  three  hundred  and  three,  was 
made  known  in  South  Carolina  and  Georgia,  and  provoked 
great  indignation.  The  Legislature  of  South  Carolina,  the 
day  following  the  general  election,  adopted  resolutions  to 
cull  a  convention  of  the  people  to  consider  the  question  of 
secession,  call  out  the  militia,  and  prepare  for  war.  The 
prominent  citizens  of  Georgia  met  at  Savannah  on  the  8th 
of  November,  and  adopted  resolutions  in  favor  of  secession. 
Rebellion  spread  rapidly,  and  the  old  colonial  flag  of  Geor- 
gia was  planted  at  Savannah.  South  Carolina  adopted  the 
Palmetto  flag,  and  many  of  the  leading  oflicers  of  the  Federal 
Government  resigned  their  positions.  In  the  latter  part  of 
December,  1S6Q,  South  Carolina  declared  herself  an  inde- 
pendent State,  and  the  joyful  news  met  with  a  salute  of  a 
hundred  guns  at  Mobile,  while  the  Pelican  flag  was  planted 
at  New  Urleans,  and  secession  banners  waved  in  triumph 
throughout  the  South. 

Major  Anderson,  who  commanded  the  forts  in  Charleston 
harbor,  deeming  Fort  Moultrio  untenable,  withdrew  hia 
small  garrison  to  Fort  Sumter  on  the  night  of  the  28th  of  Do 
cember.  This  fort  was  built  on  an  island,  and  almost  im- 
pregnable. The  act  created  a  profound  sensation.  It 
seemed  as  if  actual  hostilities  were  begun,  and  while  John 
B.  Floyd  resigned  his  post  as  Secretary  of  War,  the  South 
Carolina  troops  seized  the  city  arsenal,  with  its  large  quan- 
tity of  military  stores  and  arms,  and  erected  strong  fortifica 
lions  around  Fort  Sumter.  While  deep  gloom  pervaded 

1*9) 


50         FORMATION   OP  THK   SOUTHERN  CONFEDERACY. 

the  nation,  and  Senators  were  resigning  their  Beats,  Bach 
anan  vacillated  and  temporized.  His  course  aided  th« 
Southern  conspirators,  who,  regardless  of  their  oaths,  be- 
trayed the  country  to  which  they  had  sworn  allegiance. 
In  the  dreadful  situation  in  which  the  nation  was  placed, 
there  were  many,  both  North  and  South,  who  manifested 
more  love  for  political  party  than  for  their  country. 

The  Southern  leaders  saw  in  these  distractions  the  favor- 
able time  to  drill  their  troops,  and  one  State  after  another 
seceded.  The  Governor  of  North  Carolina  seized  Fort 
Macon  at  Beaufort,  several  forts  at  Wilmington,  and 
the  United  States  Arsenal  at  Fayetteville.  The  Governor 
of  Georgia  seized  Fort  Pulaski;  Mississippi  and  Florida 
seceded,  and  the  troops  of  the  latter  State  took  Fort  Barran- 
cas and  the  Pensacola  Navy  Yard.  Louisiana  seceded,  and 
seized  the  United  States  Mint  and  half  a  million  of  dollars  in 
the  sub-treasury  at  New  Orleans.  The  Arkansas  State  troops 
took  possession  of  the  arsenal  at  Little  Rock ;  and  aboat  this 
time  the  Star  of  the  West,  on  her  way  to  reinforce  Fort 
Sumter,  was  fired  into. 

At  the  end  of  February  a  Southern  Confederacy  was 
formed,  with  Jefferson  Davis  as  President  of  the  Provisional 
Government,  at  Montgomery,  Alabama.  The  conspirators 
were  on  the  alert,  as  the  inauguration  of  Mr.  Lincoln  was 
soon  to  take  place.  Mr.  Holt,  of  Kentucky,  was  appointed 
Secretary  of  War,  and  Mr.  Thompson,  of  New  York, 
became  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  under  Mr.  Buchanan, 
which  somewhat  stayed  the  waves  of  sedition.  General 
Twiggs,  who  commanded  in  Texas,  was  dismissed  for  sur- 
rendering the  posts  and  United  States  property  to  the  State 
authorities.  By  these  stringent  measures  the  weak  admin 
istration  of  Buchanan  was  somewhat  aided. 

The  Southern  members,  as  usual,  had  taken  their  seats  in 
Congress,  in  December,  with  no  intention  other  than  gain- 
ing some  of  the  public  favor  in  aid  of  secession.  The  prin- 
cipal of  them  were,  Mason  from  Virginia,  Benjamin  from 
Louisiana,  and  Wigfall  from  Texas.  They  used  all  their 
artful  cunning  in  favor  of  peaceful  secession,  or  harped 
upon  the  evils  which  the  South  suffered  from  the  North, 
ani  in  consideration  of  the  dangers  that  threatened  tha 
nation,  different  plans  were  adopted  and  guarantees  offered 
cf  Southern  rights  in  future.  It  was  evident,  howerer,  that 


INAUGURATION  07  LINCOLN.  81 

all  concessions  were  now  too  late,  and  the  different  plans  pro 
posed  were  rendered  abortive,  while  the  nation  drifted  en 
toward  the  whirlpool  of  ruin. 

The  right  of  secession,  claimed  by  the  South,"  was  indig 
oantly  denied  by  the  North.  The  purchase  of  Louisiana, 
uid  Florida,  the  acquisition  of  Texas,  and  the  driving  back 
>f  the  Indians,  etc.,  had  involved  an  expense  to  the  Govern- 
ment of  $200,000,000.  These  considerations,  and  the  fact 
>hat  the  Mississippi  river,  common  to  the  two  sections,  could 
cot  be  divided,  made  secession,  in  the  mind  of  the  North 
an  absurdity,  while  with  the  South  it  was  a  foregone  con- 
clusion. The  South  then  rushed  madly  into  the  crime  of  re- 
bellion, and  precipitated  the  country  into  all  the  horrors  of 
civil  war.  The  idea  of  assassinating  President  Lincoln  about 
the  time  of  his  inauguration  was  doubtless  now  entertained. 

The  President,  on  his  way  to  Washington,  expressed  him- 
self as  convinced  that  the  disturbance  was  only  an  artificial 
excitement.  Many  friends  of  the  country  were,  however, 
filled  with  serious  presentiments  of  forthcoming  evil.  When 
he  reached  Harrisburg,  the  President  became  alarmed,  and 
awoke  to  the  horrible  reality  that  his  life  was  in  danger. 

At  Ilarrisburg  he  left  his  family  behind,  and  took  a 
special  train  back  to  Philadelphia,  arriving  in  time  for  the 
regular  train,  and,  taking  a  sleeping  car,  escaped  observa- 
tion, passing  Baltimore  at  four  o'clock  in  the  morning; 
thereby  frustrating  the  design  on  his  life  by  the  mob  it  ihe 
latter  city. 

The  inauguration  took  place  on  the  4th  of  March,  1861. 
The  tone  in  which  the  message  of  the  new  President  was 
expressed,  proved  how  little  the  honest  heart  of  that  upright 
man  had  calculated  on  the  heinous  wickedness  which  was 
sapping  the  foundation  of  free  institutions,  and  threatening 
the  Government  with  baleful  destruction.  Mr.  William  H. 
Seward  was  chosen  Secretary  of  State,  and  Mr.  Simon 
Cameron  Secretary  of  War,  under  the  new  administration. 
To  the  commissioners  appointed  by  Virginia  to  ascertain  the 
Presidential  policy  Mr.  Lincoln  made  a  brief  reply,  but  de- 
clined to  receive  those  who  were  sent  to  propose  a  settle- 
ment without  war,  as  such  a  course  would  have  been  a 
recognition  of  the  seven  States  composing  the  "Southern 
Confederacy." 

Th«  Southern  leaders  used  very  plausible  arguments  to 


92  ATTACK   OX   FORT  SUMTKR. 

the  different  States  which  they  wished  to  secede.  Thet 
had  an  idea  that  thore  would  be  no  war,  and  that  the  North 
would  give  them  their  independence  without  a  resort  to 
arms.  Events  were  now  rapidly  hastening  to  a  crisis,  and 
Major  Anderson,  in  command  of  Fort  Sumter,  with  its  gar- 
rison of  only  seventy-five  men,  was  summoned  by  General 
P,  T.  G.  Beauregard,  in  command  of  the  defences  of  Charles 
ton,  to  evacuate  the  fort.  Although  starvation  stared  him 
in  the  face,  he  refused  to  do  so,  upon  which  Beauregard  re- 
solved to  open  fire.  In  tne  meantime,  the  rebel  forts,  which 
were  springing  up  around  the  fort,  without  any  interruption 
from  the  Federal  Government,  were  near  completion.  The 
bristling  batteries  arose  around  the  brave  commander  and 
his  men  in  Sumter.  All  hope  of  supplies  was  cut  oft;  and 
the  batteries  in  the  harbor  prevented  the  throwing  of  rein- 
forcements into  the  fort.  Ilis  position  became  very  trying, 
and  yet  Anderson  received  no  orders  to  abandon  the  fort,  or 
permission  GO  counteract  the  hostile  preparations  against 
him.  The  bomb-proof  batteries  at  Fort  Moultrie,  Sullivan's 
Island,  and  the  floating  battery  with  the  powerful  colum- 
biads,  now  threatened  the  devoted  garrison.  On  a  summons 
to  surrender,  Anderson  gave  a  calm  and  dignified  refusal, 
but  said,  if  no  orders  or  supplies  reached  him  between  the 
12th  and  15th,  he  would  then  comply.  Beauregard  sent 
word,  early  on  the  morning  of  the  12th,  that  in  one  hour  he 
would  open  the  fire  of  his  batteries  on  the  fort. 

On  receiving  this  message,  the  intrepid  Anderson  removed 
the  sentinels  from  the  parapets,  flung  the  flag  to  the  breeze  in 
the  darkness  of  \«^niing,  and  that  flag  was  insulted  by  tha 
first  shot  fired  at  half-past  four  o'clock.  The  Rubicon  waa 
now  crossed,  and  a  war  was  begun,  destined  to  sweep  thou 
sands  to  the  grave.  After  a  silence  of  a  few  moments,  the 
concentrated  fire  of  Fort  Moultrie,  Point  Pleasant,  Fort 
Johnston,  and  other  batteries  shook  sea  and  shore  with  the 
reverberations  of  their  thunders. 

The  little  band  in  the  fort  sat  in  mute  silence  for  some 
time,  and  did  not  return  the  enemy's  fire,  though  heavy  shot 
struck  the  fort.  After  a  quiet  breakfast,  the  devoted  band 
was  divided  into  three  reliefs.  The  fort  batteries  for  four 
hours  kept  up  a  responsive  fire  to  the  enemy's  guns.  The 
shot  and  shell  of  the  latter  destroyed  all  the  guns  of  the  fort 
that  could  throw  shells,  and  Anderson  had  to  use  solid  shot 


FALL   OF  FORT  SUMTER.  8ft 

which  was  of  little  effect.  Repeated  fires  of  the  barracks 
were  extinguished.  The  men  made  cartridges  of  their  shirt 
sleeves  when  the  supply  was  exhausted.  The  cannonading 
was  as  fierce  as  ever  during  the  night,  and  the  long  trains 
of  light  showed  the  course  of  the  shells,  while  the  solid  shot 
shook  the  fort.  For  the  fourth  time  the  barracks  were  cm 
fire,  and  now  fears  arose  for  the  magazine.  The  whole  gar- 
rison left  the  guns,  and  rolled  away  ninety-six  barrels,  and 
tbsn,  subdued  by  the  fierce  heat,  had  to  lock  up  the  maga- 
zine, and  leave  it  to  its  fate.  The  intense  and  stifling  heat 
obliged  the  men  to  hold  wet  cloths  to  their  mouths,  and 
cast  themselves  on  the  ground.  Their  food  was  out  the  day 
before ;  the  walls  of  the  fort  crumbled  about  their  ears ;  the 
cartridges  were  exhausted,  and  no  powder  could  be  brought 
from  the  magazine.  The  upper  service  magazine  caught 
fire  and  exploded,  and  the  fire  was  now  gaining  on  the 
powder  barrels.  The  \nen  covered  these  with  wet  blankets, 
but  in  the  dreadful  heat  they  feared  lest  they  would  explode, 
and  rolled  them  all  out  into  the  sea  except  three.  Three 
cartridges  were  in  the  guns,  and  now  down  went  the  flag- 
staff; but  the  flag,  nailed  to  it,  was  ordered  to  wave  again  on 
the  rampart.  Senator  Wigfall,  late  member  of  Congress 
from  Texas,  now  appeared  with  a  white  flag,  and,  being 
admitted  at  the  casemate,  said  that  he  saw  the  flag  was 
down,  and  "came  from  Beauregard."  He.  was  told  the  flag 
was  not  down,  and  then  usked  for  some  one  to  hold  his  f^&g, 
which  being  declined,  he  held  it  himself,  and  then  \va?  re 
lieved  by  a  corporal,  who  at  length  refused  to  hold  it  longer, 
as  the  enemy  fired  at  it.  Wigfall  then  placed  it  outside  the 
embrasure,  and  in  a  conference  with  Major  Anderson,  told 
him  that  General  Beauregard  wished  the  firing  to  cease,  and 
that  he  wanted  to  know  on  what  terms  the  fort  would  be 
surrendered.  To  this,  Anderson  answered,  that  Beauregard 
knew  the  only  terms  already.  It  was  found,  on  the  appear- 
ance of  a  deputation  of  four  officers  at  the  fort,  that  Wigfall 
had  acted  only  on  his  own  responsibility,  and  without  the 
knowledge  of  Beauregard,  and  they  came  to  help  put  out 
the  fire.  When  told  of  the  terms  of  surrender,  they  were 
greatly  astonished,  on  which  Anderson  saic*  be  would  have 
to  put  up  the  flag  again.  Before  the  terms  with  Wjgfall 
had  been  put  to  writing,  the  ad.j  utant-general,  and  other 
mem  bora  of  Beauregard's  staff!  3am*  vo  make  a  proposition  of 


54  PROCLAMATION   OF  PRESIDENT   LINCOLN 

acceding  to  the  terms  on  which  Anderson  had  consented  to 
surrender,  except  the  salute  to  the  flag,  and  as  he  would  not 
accept  these  conditions,  the  terms  first  proposed  by  him  were 
agreed  on.  A  hundred  guns  saluted  the  flag,  and  the  brave 
little  band  of  heroes  marched  out  of  the  fort  to  the  stirring 
Bounds  of  martial  music,  embarked  on  the  Isabel,  and  from 
thence  to  the  steamer  Baltic,  and  sailed  for  New  York. 

The  inhabitants  of  Charleston  were  in  ecstacies  of  delight 
and  gave  way  to  the  wildest  joy.  Beauregard  was  magni 
fied  into  a  valiant  hero. 

The  news  conveyed  by  telegraph  filled  the  nation  with 
indignant  astonishment.  The  flag  was  dishonored,  and  war 
had  commenced.  The  insolence  of  South  Carolina,  the  fear- 
ful news  of  a  State  in  actual  rebellion,  and  the  gloomy  pros- 
pects before  the  nation,  filled  the  people  with  horror,  and 
inflamed  the  public  mind  to  the  highest  degree.  The  vitu- 
perations and  threats  boldly  launched  by  the  Democrats 
against  their  successful  opponents,  the  sympathy  which  they 
had  with  the  slave  power,  and  the  divisions  which,  at  the 
North,  presaged  woe  to  the  Union,  now,  at  this  crisis,  made 
the  administration  apprehensive  of  the  result. 

Party  lines,  however,  were  now  obliterated,  the  majesty 
of  patriotism  rose  in  grandeur  above  petty  differences,  and 
while  an  insulted  flag  and  the  insolent  bravado  of  the  South 
pressed  on  the  great  heart  of  the  nation,  it  thrilled,  and 
through  all  the  land  the  cry  was  vengeance.  The  President 
now  saw  that  bloody  war  had  usurped  the  state  of  artificial 
excitement,  and  he  beheld  a  mighty  work  before  him. 
When  Fort  Sumter  fell,  he  at  once  called  for  seventy-five 
thousand  volunteers  to  serve  for  three  months,  to  defend  the 
national  capital.  Congress  was  summoned  to  meet  on  the 
4th  of  July. 

The  proclamation  was  received  with  great  enthusiasm, 
and  meetings  were  held  in  all  parts  of  the  North,  while 
ench  was  the  eagerness  to  volunteer,  that  a  far  greatei 
number  than  called  for  flocked  to  the  standard  of  the 
Union.  Money  was  raised  in  all  the  large  towns  to  support 
the  families  of  volunteers.  Legislatures  made  liberal  appro- 
priations, and  the  Government  was  amply  supplied  with  the 
means  of  carrying  on  the  war. 

The  slave  States  were  still  in  the  Union,  and  the  call  foi 
their  quota  rf  troops  wa?  met  with  a  refusal  on  the  part  of 


PROCLAMATION   OF   JEFFERSON  DAVIS.  35 

the  Governors  of  Kentucky,  Virginia,  North  Carolina,  Ten- 
nessee, Arkansas,  and  several  other  States.    Governor  Hickr 
of  Maryland,  was  willing  to  supply  troops  for  the  prote< 
tion  of  Washington  only.     Delaware  took  loyal  ground  a. 
once. 

Few  in  the  North  dreamed  that  the  exasperated  bitter- 
ness which  disgraced  Congress,  and  the  inflamed  passions 
which  on  both  sides  made  the  breach  for  a  long  time  between 
the  North  and  South  wider  and  wider,  would  end  in  civil 
war. 

This  state  of  things  had  long  existed,  and  the  menacea 
which  might  have  been  taken  as  significant,  excited  no 
alarm.  The  political  demagogues  gave  out  that  "  the  South 
would  not  fight,"  and  the  Southern  conspirators  said  "  the 
North  would  never  go  into  a  contest  with  Southern  chivalry ; 
and  if  such  should  be  the  case,  one  Southerner  could  easily 
beat  three  Yankees."  The  South  they  thought  was  too 
good  a  customer  to  be  lost,  and  thus  on  both  sides  the 
people  were  cajoled,  till  hostile  armies  prepared  to  decide 
the  contest  by  the  sword. 

The  patriotic  spirit  of  the  North  was  now  fairly  aroused, 
and  the  troops,  passing  through  every  town,  had  a  most 
enthusiastic  reception,  while  martial  music  stirred  the  heart, 
banners  waved  proudly,  and  citizens  thronged  to  see  the 
soldiers.  Many  thought  fhat  the  war  would  end  in  ?,  brief 
space,  and  it  seemed  but  an  exciting  and  pleasant  holiday. 

Jefferson  Davis  issued  a  proclamation  calling  out 
volunteers,  and  also  granted  letters  of  marque  to  privateers 
to  prey  on  the  commerce  of  the  North.  This  call  was 

Sromptly  and  enthusiastically  responded  to.  Many  in  the 
outh  were  under  the  impression  that  the  Northern  forces 
were  not  called  out  for  the  defence  of  Washington,  but  to 
liberate  the  slaves,  and  hence  they  must  fight  for  all  they 
held  dear — their  hearths  and  homes  and  liberty  itself.  The 
most  dreadful  stories  were  told  of  Northern  barbarity,  and 
the  Southern  people  were  fully  roused.  The  South  was  a 
unit,  but  divisions  for  a  long  while  were  prevalent  at  the 
North,  where  many  sympathized  with  Southern  rebels  and 
traitors,  and  prayed  for  the  success  of  the  Confederate 
arms. 

On  the  issue  of  President  Lincoln's  proclamation,  the 
State  of  Virginia  at  once  adopted  the  ordinance  of  secession. 


86  SCRRBNTXETK   OF   NORFOLK. 

Her  fertile  fields  were  destined  to  become  the  stage  on 
which  many  a  bloody  tragedy  was  enacted.  One  of  those 
who  resisted  this  suicidal  policy  was  John  Minor  Botts,  but 
n  vain.  His  proud  old  State  sided  with  the  South,  and  at- 
achcd  an  importance  to  her  part  in  the  contest  of  no  little 
Hftgnitude. 

The  Government  at  Washington  now  contended  with  great 
embarrassments;  arid  as  treason  lurked  on  every  side,  and  the 
nost  secret  designs  were  conveyed  to  the  enemy,  great 
iistrust  prevailed.  In  the  conflicting  chaos  of  affairs,  an 
nexperienced  hand  had  to  guide  the  helm.  The  two 
cabinet  officers  on  whom  Mr.  Lincoln  relied  were  neither 
of  them  eminently  fitted  for  the  crisis,  and  a?  little  prepared 
for  the  complications  with  which  the  nation  struggled  aa 
the  President  himself.  The  Secretary  of  the  Navy  had  but 
limited  experience  in  naval  affairs,  and,  in  eonsqncnce  of  a 
great  disaster  that  soon  followed  the  fall  of  Sumter,  came  in  for 
a  heavy  share  of  blame.  This  was  the  capture  by  the  rebels  of 
the  Navy  Yard  at  Norfolk,  the  greatest  in  the  United  States,  and 
containing  a  great  number  of  cannon  of  the  largest  calibre, 
in  which,  notwithstanding  the  heavy  thefts  of  Floyd,  the 
rebels  were  deficient,  and  required  for  future  operations. 
This  important  place  was  not  guarded  sufficiently,  and, 
falling  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy,  supplied  them  with 
hundreds  of  heavy  cannon,  which  were  soon  turned  against 
the  I'nion.  The  Secretary  of  the  Navy  was  content  to  savo 
the  vessels  there,  and  gave  orders  to  Commodore  McCauley 
to  that  effect.  Finding  that  the  design  was  not  carried  out, 
he  sent  Commodore  Paulding  to  supersede  him,  who,  on 
arriving,  found  the  Merrimac  and  other  ships  scuttled,  and  the 
work  of  destruction  going  forward.  As  this  process  would 
not  save  them  from  the  enemy  he  fired  them,  and  such  of 
the  public  property  as  he  could,  and  left  the  place.  The 
Cumberland  and  Merrimac  were  destined  to  meet  again,  the 
former  meeting  with  a  worse  fate  than  the  torch  from 
patriots.  The  Pennsylvania,  Delaware,  and  Columbus,  of 
seventy-four  guns  each ;  the  Merrimac  and  Columbia,  forty- 
four  ;  the  Raritan,  forty-five ;  the  war  sloops  Germantown  and 
Plymouth,  and  the  brig  Dolphin,  were  scuttled  and  fired. 
The  loss  was  estimated  at  fifty  millions  of  dollars — of  little 
moment  compared  with  the  hundreds  of  cannon  which  it 
gave  into  the  enemy's  hands.  Grtat  indignation  aro«e  thai 


THE   PEOPLE    ROUSED   TO   WAR.  di 

the  ships  did  not  shell  the  batteries  of  the  enemy,  lay  the 
place  in  ruins,  and  render  the  guns  useless.  But  now  the 
act  was  done. 

About  the  same  time,  Lieutenant  Jones  set  fire  to  and 
destroyed  the  Arsenal  at  Harper's  Ferry,  to  save  it  from 
falling  into  the  hands  of  two  thousand  five  hundred  men, 
who  marched  against  it  from  Virginia.  These  arms  and 
rrwinitions  of  war  might  have  been  conveyed  to  a  place  of 
•afety,  and,  but  for  the  prompt  action  of  Lieutenant  Jones, 
would  have  fallen  into  the  enemy's  hands.  The  Gosport 
Navy  Yard  was  surrendered  on  the  15th  of  April,  and 
Harper's  Ferry  on  the  18th,  ard  Norfolk  Navy  Yard  two 
days  before.  There  was  mismanagement  somewhere,  and 
the  indignation  of  the  people  was  fierce,  while  confidence  in 
the  administration  was  seriously  shaken  by  these  dis- 
asters. 

"While  the  rebels  were  at  work — drilling,  preparing  the 
munitions  of  war,  arms,  equipments,  every  thing — Govern- 
ment was  listening  to  politicians  who  were  in  want  of  places 
and  for  six  weeks,  during  which  warlike  preparations  should 
have  been  vigorously  pursued  to  suppress  rebellion,  time 
was  frittered  away,  and  the  administration  did  little  or 
nothing. 

But  the  people  took  things  into  their  own  hands,  resolved 
to  finish  the  quarrel  with  the  bayonet,  and  with  amazing 
energy  devised  schemes  to  frustrate  the  enemy's  designs,  and 
sent  out  bold  patriots  to  defend  the  nation  from  traitors. 

The  supineness  of  the  administration  and  dogged  deter- 
mination   of  the  people,  formed  a  contrast  that  waa  not 
without  alarm,  but  every  thir  g,  by  degrees,  righted. 
4 


CHAPTER  III. 

APRIL,  If  AY,  1861. 

HOPES    OF   THE    SOUTH — BLOCKADE    OF  SOUTHERN  PC ftTB—  BAH* 
VK88  OF  CONTRACTORS — TROOPS  ANSWERING    TO  THE    PRESIDENT'S    CALL 

ATTACK  BY  A  MOB  ON  MASSACHUSETTS  AND    PENNSYLVANIA  TROCPS    IN 

BALTIMORE — RESIGNATION  OF  OFFICERS  IN  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY — NEW 
TORR  DECLARES  REBELLION  MUST  CEASE — EFFECT  OF  THE  NEWS  IN  THE 
SOUTH — CALL  FOR  FORTY  THOUSAND  MEN,  AND  INCREASE  OF  THE  ARMY 
AND  NAVY — SUSPENSION  OF  HABEAS  CORPUS — STATE  OF  AFFAIRS  IN  THK 
8CVTH. 

THE  rebel  leaders  intended  to  capture  the  Federal  capital, 
and  Walker,  the  rebel  Secretary  of  War,  predicted  that  the 
flag  of  the  Southern  Confederacy  would  float  in  triumph 
over  the  dome  of  the  capitol  before  the  1st  of  May.  The 
Southern  press  was  quite  sanguine  of  success,  and  its  hopes, 
but  for  the  patriotism  of  the  loyal  sons  of  the  North,  might 
6ave  been  realized. 

Meanwhile,  the  Southern  ports  were  blockaded  by  the 
great  steamship  Niagara,  at  Charleston ;  the  steam  frigate 
Minnesota,  at  Old  Point  Comfort ;  the  Dawn  and  Yankee, 
off  Fortress  Monroe;  the  Quaker  City,  off  ths  mouth  of  the 
Chesapeake;  the  Monticello,  off  York  river;  the  Harriet 
Lane,  off  the  James  river,  and  other  vessels  were  sent  to 
Savannah,  Mobile,  and  New  Orleans. 

"While  the  people  were  bent  on  saving  the  country,  and 
pouring  forth  regiments  in  its  defence,  the  troops  sent 
out  were  generally  unfurnished  with  arms  and  equip 
ments,  which  it  wa?  expected  the  Government  would  supply 
It  was  then  that  politicians  took  these  affairs  into  their  own 
hands  to  amass  money,  and  many  a  colossal  fortune  was  mad* 
by  contract  in  those  days  of  shoddy.  The  clothing  supplied 
by  them  soon  fell  into  tatters,  and  the  shoes  left  the  troops 
barefooted.  Swindling  to  an  immense  extent  prevailed,  and 
General  Wool,  superintending  affairs  at  New  York,  attempt- 
ing to  check  the  wasteful  extravagance  that  was  robbing  th« 
public  treasury,  was  sent  home  to  Troy  by  the  influence  of 
politicians  at  Washington. 

Troops  were  now  rushing  from  Massachusetts,  Penniyl- 
£8) 


TROOPS  ATTACKED   IN   BALTIMOKE.  89 

rania  Rhode  Island,  Ohio,  Illinois,  and  the  distant  West,  to 
the  defence  of  the  capital.  Threats  on  every  side  arose 
that  they  would  not  be  allowed  to  pass  through  Baltimore. 
Patrols  guarded  the  Long  Bridge,  at  Washington,  night  and 
day,  and  cannon  were  placed  to  command  the  passage. 
General  Scott  made  the  best  disposition  he  could  of  ths 
small  forces  of  the  Government,  and  anxious  eyes  were  beni 
on  the  Northern  troops,  who  were  advancing  to  reinforce 
"V\  ashington. 

The  first  regiment  which  had  that  honor  was  the  Sixth 
Massachusetts,  which  reached  Baltimore  on  the  19th  oi 
Aoril,  and  proceeded  to  the  farther  depot  in  eleven  cars, 
drawn  by  horses.  An  attack  was  made  on  them  by  the 
mob,  who,  with  dreadful  yells  and  curses,  rained  a  shower 
of  brickbats,  stones,  and  every  missile  within  reach,  break- 
ing the  windows,  and  wounding  the  troops  seated  within. 
No  retaliation  on  the  part  of  the  soldiers  took  place,  and 
nine  cars  reached  the  depot  and  set  off  for  Washington. 
Two  cars,  with  a  hundred  men,  were  cut  off  and  left  behind. 
The  mob,  eight  thousand  in  number,  lashed  into  fury,  made 
a  fierce  attack,  and  the  soldiers,  leaving  the  cars,  formed  a 
solid  square,  and,  with  the  mayor  of  the  city  at  their  head, 
advanced  at  double-quick,  with  bayonets  gleaming.  Brick 
bats,  stones,  clubs,  pistols,  and  muskets  were  freely  used 
by  the  mob,  but  the  troops  restrained  themselves  with  great 
forbearance,  and  only  an  occasional  shot  was  fired.  Two 
soldiers  were  killed,  and  two  wounded,  and  then  their  com- 
rades, exasperated,  fired,  and  struggling  toward  the  depot 
with  two  killed  and  eight  wounded,  set  out  for  the  capital. 

A  body  of  Pennsylvania  troops  from  Philadelphia,  under 
Colonel  Small,  was  less  fortunate,  being  almost  entirely  un- 
armed. While  the  armed  Massachusetts  men  made  good 
their  way,  the  Pennsylvanians,  leaving  the  cars,  formed  a 
'ine  in  the  street,  and  marched  for  the  depot.  A  vast  mob, 
with  a  Confederate  flag,  attacked  them  with  a  volley  of 
stones,  and  such  of  the  soldiers  as  had  arms  discharged  them 
in  self-defence.  A  hand-to-hand  combat  ensued,  and  the 
soldiers  at  last  succeeded  in  reaching  the  "depot;  an  engine 
was  attached  to  the  train  of  cars,  and  the  return  to  Philadel- 
phia commenced.  A  number  were  wounded,  several  killed, 
others  scattered,  and  these  made  their  escape  facilitated  by 
the  circumstance  that  the  reg;ment  was  not  uniformed. 


40  RESIGNATION  OF  OFFICERS. 

Unirersal  indignation  burst  forth  at  the  news  of  this  nittf- 
derous  outrage,  and  the  c\*y  was  to  lay  the  city  in  ashes, 
should  such  a  course  be  necessary  for  the  passage  of  the 
troops.  Fort  McHenry  received  *i  stronger  garrison. 
Camps  of  instruction  were  formed  is  different  places  for 
drilling  troops,  and  soon  all  fears  for  the  safety  of  Washing- 
ton subsided,  by  the  number  of  b~*ave  defenders  who  flocked 
thither. 

The  mob  took  possession  of  Baltimore,  and  the  mayor  and 
governor  informed  the  President  that  no  more  troops  could 
pass  through  it.  When  this  news  reached  New  York  the 
seventh  regiment  took  forty-eight  rounds  of  cartridges  to 
clear  a  passage,  and  their  example  was  followed  by  other 
regiments.  A  bloody  battle  in  the  streets  of  Baltimore  was 
expected,  and  the  commander-in-chief  declared  that  the 
troops  must  come  by  that  route  to  Washington. 

The  troops,  however,  stopped  at  Havre  de  Grace,  and 
took  steamers  for  Annapolis.  Regiments  were  hurried  for- 
ward ;  and  the  public  squares,  both  chambers  of  Congress, 
and  the  President's  mansion  were  »1!  filled  with  troops. 
The  rotunda  of  the  capital  was  filled  with  stacked  arms,  and 
soldiers  lounged  in  the  seats  of  Senators.  No  fear  now  that 
rebels  could  possess  themselves  of  the  national  capital. 

Many  of  the  Federal  officers  in  the  army  and  navy,  who 
were  natives  of  the  South,  now  resigned  their  positions,  and 
severed  their  connection  with  the  Government.  Among 
these  was  Colonel  Robert  E.  Lc%e,  who  was  held  in  great 
esteem  by  General  Scolt,  and  universally  respected  by  the 
nation.  Long  he  hesitated,  and  is  said  to  have  shed  bitter 
tears  at  the  alternative  proposed  to  him ;  but  the  struggle 
was  soon  past,  and  he  gave  in  his  adherence  to  the  fortunes 
of  Virginia.  The  State  Rights  doctrine  of  Calhouu  at  this 
time  bore  abundant  fruits,  and  the  greater  credit  is  due 
to  those  who  stood  firm  to  the  national  Government  in  the 
heavy  tribulations  that  followed. 

Nothing  but  war  was  now  thought  of  in  all  parts  of  the 
country  and  the  busy  hum  of  industry  was  drowned  in  the 
clash  of  arms,  the  strains  of  military  music,  and  the  bustle 
of  warlike  movements.  The  pulpit  breathed  war.  Congre- 
gations made  it  the  subject  of  their  prayers,  and  collected 
money  for  its  support ;  while  the  people  of  the  Northwest 
gent  thousands  of  brave  patriots  to  fight  the  battles  of  tht 


41 

Onion.  An  immense  mass  meeting,  ;hi  Hrgr,<tf  ever  known 
in  America,  was  held  on  the  20th  of  April  in  the  city  of  New 
York.  The  cry  prevailed,  "Down  with  the  Rebellion  /*' 
Men  of  all  parties  were  there,  unanimous  in  the  determina- 
tion to  meet  the  existing  evils  with  the  edge  of  the  sword, 
ind  range  themselves  on  the  side  of  Government  whatever 
might  betide.  One  of  the  great  sources  of  New  York  was 
her  Southern  trade — merchants  were  indebted  to  her,  an i 
planters  owed  her  millions.  The  blockade  of  Southern 
ports  cut  off  her  commerce ;  and,  with  her  warehouses  idle, 
bankruptcy  stared  many  of  her  merchants  in  the  face.  But 
she  stood  firm  in  loyalty  to  the  Union,  with  it  to  rise  or  fall. 

Such  was  the  astonishment  of  the  South,  that  at  New 
Orleans  the  mob  had  to  be  kept  down  by  the  police,  and 
the  rebels  found  their  hopes  of  sympathy  at  the  North 
entirely  at  an  end ;  while  war,  brought  on  by  themselves, 
left  them  the  alternative  of  independence  or  subjugatioa 
Great  boldness  distinguished  the  conspirators,  who  cast  a 
wistful  eye  to  Europe,  and  sent  Mason  and  Yancey  to  try  to 
obtain  recognition  for  their  government  and  the  raising  of 
the  blockade;  promising  free  trade  and  cotton  in  large 
abundance. 

United  States  vessels  in  Southern  ports  were  seized,  and 
the  Star  of  the  West,  captured  at  Galveston,  was  turned 
into  a  rebel  vessel.  In  Arkansas  and  Texas,  forts,  arsenals, 
and  troops  were  captured,  and  Northern  property  confis- 
cated. 

By  a  proclamation  on  the  3d  of  May,  the  President  called 
for  forty-two  thousand  and  thirty-four  volunteers,  to  sei  ?e 
for  three  years  or  during  the  war.  Eight  regiments  of  in- 
fantry, one  of  cavalry,  and  one  of  artillery,  were  to  be  added 
to  the  regular  army,  and  eighteen  thousand  seamen  were  to 
be  enlisted  for  the  navy,  for  not  less  than  one  or  more  than 
three  years.  Some  wondered  how  the  President  got  the 
power  for  such  levies  without  Congress ;  but  the  situation 
of  public  affairs  at  this  juncture  made  people  withhold  their 
objections,  or  the  remonstrances  of  the  press  were  lost  in 
the  shouts  for  the  Union. 

The  Southern  leaders  were  anxious  for  recognition  at 
foreign  courts,  and  Mr.  Seward  instructed  the  ministers  at 
those  courts  that  the  United  States  would  suffer  no  inter- 
vention, but  would  settle  her  di  Acuities  in  her  own  way 


42  STATK   OF   AFFAIRS   IN  THE   SOUTH. 

Special  attention  was  given  to  counteract  the  influence  of 
the  Southern  commissioners  at  the  courts  of  France  and 
England. 

Domestic  traitora  were  aow  turned  out  of  office  at  Wash- 
Ligtcn,  and  the  telegraph  suddenly  seized  at  many  placea 
simultaneously,  in  order  to  find  out  who  were  implicated 
in  the  disgraceful  transaction  of  betraying  their  country. 
Many  were  arrested,  and  some  obtained  release  by  habeas 
torpus.  About  this  time  the  act  was  suspended  by  the 
President,  which  caused  much  angry  discussion,  but  this 
step  was  believed  to  be  necessary  in  the  existing  state  of 
affairs. 

Two  hostile  armies  were  now  confronting  each  other  on 
the  Potomac.  The  Government  was  alarmed  at  the  neutral 
position  of  Kentucky,  and  troops  were  sent  to  Cairo.  Ten- 
nessee, on  the  llth  of  May,  joined  the  Confederacy,  and  the 
state  of  affairs  became  better  defined  as  time  progressed. 
The  only  forts  that  could  be  reached  were  strengthened — 
Fort  McIIenry,  at  Baltimore;  Fortress  Monroe,  in  Vir- 
ginia, and  Pickers,  at  Pensacola.  Maryland  remained  in 
the  Union.  Missouri  now  threatened  to  be  the  theatre  for 
intestine  war.  St.  Louis  was  loyal,  but  the  western  portions 
of  the  State  was  full  of  traitors.  The  neutrality  of  Ken- 
tucky was  doubtful,  and  the  influence  of  Breckinridge 
might  overcome  that  of  the  loyal  men — Crittenden,  Holt, 
and  Prentice.  The  States  of  North  Carolina,  Georgia,  Ten- 
nessee, and  Alabama,  though  containing  roany  loyal  men 
•Tould  not  be  depended  on.  Loyal  citizens  saw  that  tebel 
lior.  had  indeed  struck  a  wide,  powerful  root 


CHAPTER    IV. 

m  rOTOM AC  THK  CENTRE  OP  ATTRACTION — DEATH  OF  COLONEL  ELLSWORTH 
— BATTLE  OF  BIO  BETHEL  AND  DEATH  OP  LIEUTENANT  GREBLK — LYOW 
IK  MISSOURI — BATTLE  OP  BOONEVILLE — GENERAL  MCCLELLAK  IH 
WESTERN  VIRGINIA — BATTLE  AT  PHILIPPI — CONTRABANDS — BA1TL1. 
OF  RICH  MOUNTAIN — BATTLE  OP  BARBOURVILLE — SIGEL  IN  MISSOURI 
— BATTLE  OP  CARTHAGE — HIS  SUCCESSFUL  RETREAT — DEVOTION  TO  THB 
UNION  OF  EAST  TENNESSEE — AFFAIRS  IN  KENTUCKY. 

IT  was  now  believed  that  a  great  battle  was  imminent 
and  many  thought  that  the  rebellion  would  be  soon  sup- 
pressed, and  the  Federal  power  once  more  reign  supreme. 
The  Potomac  was  the  grand  centre  of  attraction,  and  it  was 
surmised  that  the  great  battle  would  take  place  in  front  of 
Washington.  The  South  determined  to  defend  the  sacred 
soil  of  Virginia  from  the  Chesapeake  to  Edward's  Ferry. 

Meantime,  the  appointment  of  brigadier  and  major-gen 
erals,  at  Washington,  went  on  with  great  rapidity,  and 
officers  of  all  commands  received  appointments  for  which 
many  of  them  were  as  well  fitted  as  they  were  to  fly  in  the 
air.  As  a  rule,  the  more  political  influence  a  man  had 
the  higher  the  command  with  which  he  was  entrusted: 
disaster,  however,  soon  put  the  men  in  the  places  for  which 
they  were  fitted. 

Alexandria  was  required  to  be  occupied  by  the  Union 
forces,  and  General  Mansfield,  with  the  Seventh  New  York 
regiment,  left  Washington  on  the  24th  of  May,  and  crossed 
the  river  to  Alexandria ;  while  another  force,  passing  the 
Chain  Bridge,  seized  the  Loudon  and  Hampshire  Railroad, 
with  two  trains  and  their  passengers.  While  other  regi- 
ments part  icipated  to  the  number  of  thirteen  thousand  men, 
•everal  companies,  and  among  them  three  of  the  Fire  Zouave 
regiment  of  New  York,  took  a  steamer  to  Alexandria,  where 
their  commander,  Colonel  Ellsworth,  landed  them  and  drove 
the  rebels  before  him.  One  company  was  detailed  to  de- 
•troy  the  railroad  to  Richmond,  the  others,  with  Colonel  Ells- 
worth, went  to  cut  the  telegraph  wires.  A  large  secession 
flag  met  his  eye  and,  as  it  floated  over  the  Marshall  House, 
be  entered  the  hall,  inquiring  who  out  it  up.  No  one  knew 

(43) 


44  DEATH   OF   COLOXKL   ELLSWORTH. 

and  the  colonel,  with  some  officers  and  privates,  ascended  to 
the  house-top  and  cut  down  the  flag ;  on  the  descent,  a  man 
to  whom  he  had  spoken  about  the  flag  stood  in  the  hall, 
with  a  doubled-barrelled  gun,  with  which  he  shot  Ellsworth 
emptying  the  contents  of  both  barrels.  In  the  act  of  rolling 
up  the  flag  he  fell  forward  on  his  face,  and  exclaiming  "  My 
God!"  expired.  The  murderer  was  shot  immediately  by 
Corporal  Brownell,  and  the  detatchment  soon  arriving,  bore 
to  the  boat  th»  remains  of  their  beloved  commander,  whose 
death  caused  deep  regret  throughout  the  North.  His  re- 
mains were  sent  in  great  honor  to  New  York  State ;  his 
gallantry  was  a  subject  of  imitation. 

The  Federal  troops  immediately  occupied  Alexandria 
without  opposition,  and  the  town  was  found  deserted  by  a 
portion  of  the  inhabitants.  The  Seventh  New  York  and 
other  regiments  occupied  Arlington  Heights,  and  began  to 
intrench.  Three  thousand  men  were  constantly  at  work, 
under  the  command  of  General  McDowell,  who  commanded 
all  troops  beyond  the  Potomac. 

In  the  skirmishes  and  engagements  between  small  bodies 
which  now  took  place,  the  Union  troops  were  successful, 
and  hopes  were  entertained  of  crushing  out  the  rebellion  in 
a  little  while.  The  first  serious  affair  between  the  hostile 
forces  was  at  Big  Bethel,  near  Fortress  Monroe.  General 
Benjamin  F.  Butler,  on  the  10th  of  June,  sent  General  Fierce 
with  a  few  regiments  to  occupy  Newport  News.  From  this 
they  went  and  occupied  Little  Bethel,  and  from  thence, 
advanced  on  Big  Bethel.  The  enemy  was  encountered 
behind  intrench ments,  and,  after  a  brief  action,  the  Fedeial 
forces  were  driven  back,  having  lost  forty  men  in  killed  and 
wounded.  Mismanagement  characterized  the  whole  move- 
ment, the  signals  being  neglected  by  which  the  troops  from 
Fortress  Monroe  and  Newport  News  were  to  recognize  each 
other.  They  fired  into  each  other  in  the  darkness,  and  tad 
the  enemy  been  active,  greater  disasters  would  have  ensued. 

The  greatest  loss  in  this  action  was  John  T.  Greble.  a 
lieutenant  of  artillery,  and  a  gallant  young  officer  of  the 
regular  service.  lie  was  descended  from  brave  Revolution- 
ary sires,  and  distinguished  by  great  energy,  intelligence, 
and  gallantry  in  the  execution  of  his  duties.  He  was  a 
graduate  of  West  Point,  and  fell  lamented  by  all  who  knew 
him.  His  remains  were  rescued  and  borne  to  Philadelphia, 


LYOtf  IN  MISSOURI.  40 

where  they  lay  m  s^ate.     A  vast  concourse  of  citizens  and 
soldiers  iV-Icwed  his  remains  to  the  grave. 

In  the  West,  Captain  Nathaniel  Lyon,  of  the  regular 
army  now  began  to  manifest  those  qualities  which  causc'3 
him  to  be  regarded  as  one  of  the  bravest  defenders  of  the 
old  flag.  The  police  commissioners  in  St.  Louis  had  ordered 
him  to  remove  from  the  grounds  of  the  arsenal  which  he 
commanded,  all  the  United  States  troops.  He  refused  to 
obey.  By  an  unexpected  movement,  on  the  10th  of  May, 
he  surrounded  and  captured  the  force  of  six  hundred  and 
thirty  men  brought  against  him  by  Govornor  Jackson  and 
General  Price.  Followed  by  a  great  mob,  who  pelted  the 
troops  with  stones,  one  company  was  ordered  to  fire,  and 
twenty  were  killed,  many  more  being  wounded.  lie  wag 
soon  after  promoted  to  the  j  tuik  of  brigadier-general,  and 
moving  against  Governor  Jackson,  who  had  taken  up  a 
position  at  Jefferson  Uity,  the  latter  fled,  and  reaching 
Booneville,  which  was  full  of  rebels.,  began  to  fortify.  Lyon 
pushed  after  him,  and  having  landed  below  the  town,  and 
crossed  some  blufis,  began  to  ascend  a  slope,  where  the  enemy 
was  strongly  posted  on  the  summit. 

When  Captain  Totten  got  within  range,  he  shelled  their 
ranks.  The  infantry  began  a  deadly  fire  of  musketry, 
and  the  enemy,  retiring  to  a  wheat  field,  again  advanced. 
Lyon,  whose  troops  numbered  two  thousand,  was  unable  to 
bring  more  than  five  hundred  into  action,  on  account  of  the 
inequality  of  the  ground.  Putting  himself  at  the  head  of 
these,  he  led  them  to  victory,  and,  in  twenty  minutes,  pur. 
sued  the  flying  enemy,  whose  retreat  was  hastened  by  the 
artillery,  which  made  havoc  in  their  broken  ranks.  The 
victor  captured  a  great  quantity  of  military  stores  and  many 
flags,  and  having  left  a  small  force  in  camp,  proceeded  to 
Booneville,  where  he  was  met  by  a  flag  of  truce.  The 
Union  inhabitants  received  him  with  joyful  demonstrations, 
and  he  issued  a  proclamation  to  rebellious  citizens  to  lay 
down  their  arms,  while  the  national  flag  once  more  waved 
jn  triumph. 

General  Ilarney,  who  commanded  the  Department  of  the 
West,  was  not  supposed  to  be  very  loyal,  and,  in  an  agree- 
ment entered  into  with  General  Price,  displayed  a  tempor- 
izino;  with  the  rebels  which  Lyon  foresaw  was  injurious  ta 
the  Union  cause. 


*6  BATTLE  AT  PHILIPPI. 

GENERAL  MCCLELLAN  DJ  VIRGINIA. 

Western  Virginia  proved  loyal,  and  it  was  only  right  Us 
answer  her  petition  for  assistance  favorably. 

George  B.  McClellan,  a  West  Point  graduate,  who  had 
served  in  Mexico,  and  was  sent  to  witness  military  events 
in  the  Crimea,  having  been  made  a  major-general  by  the 
President  now  assumed  command  of  the  department. 
Before  he  set  out  he  issued  a  patriotic  and  inspiring  address 
to  his  soldiers.  The  idea  that  an  army  was  about  to  in- 
vade the  sacred  soil  of  Virginia  stung  the  descendants  of 
the  cavaliers  to  the  quick,  and  they  resolved  on  a  firm 
resistance.  Batteries  lined  the  Potomac  from  Alexan- 
dria to  Fortress  Monroe,  and  this  river  formed  a  line  separa- 
ting the  hostile  forces.  Harper's  Ferry,  which,  since  the 
burning,  was  not  well  defended,  was  evacuated  by  the 
rebels,  whose  main  force  concentrated  at  Manassas  Junc- 
tion, a  position  of  great  strength  by  nature,  and  which  the 
enemy  fortified  with  great  labor.  There  were  also  constant 
skirmishing  and  some  important  battles  between  bodies  o/ 
considerable  magnitude. 

EATTLE  AT  PHILIPPI. 

On  the  1st  of  June,  a  rebel  force,  from  fifteen  hundred  to 
two  thousand  men,  under  Colonel  Porterfield,  and  four 
regiments  of  Union  troops,  under  Colonels  Lander  and  Kelly, 
encountered  at  Philippi.  The  Union  commanders  had  left 
Grafton  and  travelled  by  railroad  twenty-five  miles ;  push- 
ing through  storm,  rain,  and  mud,  in  dense  darkness,  till 
near  daybreak,  Philippi  was  reached. 

Colonel  Kelly  was  to  make  an  attack  in  the  rear,  and 
Colonel  Lander  jn  front.  Colonel  Kelly,  however,  was  un- 
able to  be  up  in  time,  and  Lander  waited  in  darkness  until 
the  approach  of  day  made  him  known  to  the  enemy.  The 
enemy's  camp  was  in  confusion,  and  Lander,  fearing  that 
they  would  escape,  ordered  the  artillery  to  open  on  them. 
The  sound  of  the  guns  was  heard  by  Kelly,  who  was  advanc- 
ing, with  shouts,  while  the  rebels,  hearing  the  drums  and 
seeing  the  gleam  of  arms  front  and  rear,  at  once  fled 
Kelly  found  the  town  free  from  the  enemy,  and  pushed  on. 
He  was  unfortunately  shot  from  behind  a  fence,  and  was  sup- 
posed to  be  mortally  wounded.  The  enemy  abandoned 
^ery  thing,  and  large  Quantities  of  munitions  of  war— 


"COOTRABANDS.  4) 

blankets,  wagons,  baggage — fell  into  the  hancU  of  tha 
victors. 

General  Schenck,  of  Ohio,  with  six  hundred  and  sixty- 
eight  men  of  his  command,  was  ordered  to  capture  Vienna, 
on  the  Potomac.  He  placed  companies  along  the  road  at 
various  points,  and  with  four  companies  went  by  railway 
to  within  a  short  distance  oi'  the  place.  Here  masked  bat- 
teries of  the  enemy  brought  him  to  a  stand.  The  balls 
crashed  through  the  cars,  and  the  men  retired  from  them, 
and  fell  back,  with  a  loss  of  twenty-one  in  killed,  wounded, 
and  missing.  This  was  a  curious  method  of  advancing  on 
an  enemy  without  the  slightest  reconnoissance. 

June  was  closing,  and  the  schooner  Savannah,  the  first 
rebel  privateer  sent  out  to  prey  on  Northern  commerce,  was 
captured. 

Fugitive  slaves  kept  coming  into  the  Union  lines,  and  the 
difficulty  was,  how  to  dispose  of  them.  They  were  called 
Ly  General  Butler,  "  Contraband  of  war."  The  term  became 
lommon,  and  the  sable  sons  of  Africa  were  thenceforth 
tolled  "  Contrabands." 

The  session  of  Congress  now  drew  near,  and  many  acts 
of  the  President  required  its  sanction.  No  small  degree  of 
anxiety  prevailed.  While  the  members  were  about  meet- 
ing, the  news  arrived  that  the  steamer  Sumter  had  eludet 
the  blockade  at  New  Orleans,  and  had  gone  to  destroy  our 
commerce,  in  what  seas  or  where  no  one  could  conjecture, 
though  commercial  men  all  felt  apprehensive,  and  they  had 
good  cause  for  their  uneasiness,  as  the  future  will  show. 

General  McClellan,  in  command  at  Western  Virginia,  was 
displaying  the  ability  as  a  military  leader  which  was 
destined  in  time  to  make  him  the  hero  of  the  nation,  lie 
conducted  the  war  with  great  success,  and  in  a  proclamation 
on  the  23d  of  June,  set  forth  the  plan  of  treatment  he  would 
adopt  toward  both  the  loyal  and  rebels  against  the  Govern- 
ment. He  soon  after  began  a  series  of  plans,  which,  in  the 
end,  were  successfully  carried  out.  In  accordance  with  these, 
he  rushed  right  on,  over  mountains,  across  streams,  and 
"oaas  all  but  impassable,  till  at  last  he  met  the  rebel  Colonel 
1'egraui,  who  held  a  strong  position  on  Rich  Mountain. 
The  enemy,  four  thousand  strong,  was  drawn  up  in  line  of 
battle  at  the  foot  of  the  mountain.  He  was  behind  strong 
bieaetworks  formed  of  fallen  tkubgr  and  earth. 


48  BATTLE  OF  RICH   MOUNTAIN 

McClellan  made  a  rectonoissance,  and  sent  General 
crans,  with  some  Indiana  and  Ohio  troops,  and  a  body  of 
Ohio  cavalry,  to  the  rear  of  the  enemy.  Starting  early 
they  reached  the  top  of  a  mountain  where  some  of  the 
rebels  lay  fortified,  behind  the  main  body.  The  soldiers, 
though  wet  to  the  skin  by  the  rain,  kept  their  powder  dry, 
and.  after  a  toilsome  march  of  five  miles,  the  mountain-top 
was  reached  at  noon.  The  whole  design  of  McClellan  was 
ft  profound  secret,  but  a  plan  of  the  route  and  despatches 
being  captured,  betrayed  his  counsel  to  the  enemy,  and 
twenty-five  hundred  men,  with  three  pieces  of  artillery,  were 
hurried  on  to  dispute  the  advance  of  Rosecrans,  whose 
arrival  was  greeted  with  a  heavy  cannonading.  Rain  now 
fell  upon  the  wearied  troops  in  torrents,  and  Rosccrana 
having  been  unable  to  draw  the  cannon  up  the  moun- 
*ain,  their  progress  was  arrested,  and  the  men  remained 
ualf  an  hour  in  the  drenching  rain.  The  enemy  could 
not  be  seen,  but  shot  from  his  guns  destroyed  the  tree 
tops,  and  Colonel  Lander  posted  twenty  sharpshooters  to 
pick  off  the  gunners.  The  gunners  were  killed,  but  the 
guns  were  served  by  others  taking  their  places.  Lander 
wanted  his  men  to  charge  the  gunners,  but  they  would  not, 
and  the  colonel  abandoned  his  purpose.  An  Indiana  regi- 
ment now  advanced  with  fixed  bayonets,  and  an  Ohio  regi- 
ment, on  higher  ground,  fired  a  volley,  when  the  Indian?, 
troops  rushed  forward  with  loud  cheering.  The  enemy  fled 
in  wild  confusion,  and  were  pursued  three  hundred  yards 
till  the  recall  of  the  Federals  was  sounded,  and  then  the 
latter  halted,  prepared  to  resist  Pegram's  men,  but  they,  dis- 
mayed, fled  into  the  woods. 

McClellan,  in  the  meantime,  had  advanced  to  the  enemy'g 
works,  and  found  them  deserted.  They  had  left  guns,  tents, 
horses,  many  prisoners  and  wounded ;  a  hundred  and  fifty 
were  buried  on  the  field.  Pegram  and  six  hundred  men, 
unable  to  escape,  surrendered.  Garnett,  hearing  of  hia 
defeat,  began  hastily  to  retreat  across  the  mountains,  with 
six  thousand  men.  Five  Ohio  regiments  and  the  Indiana 
troops  followed  in  hot  pursuit,  and  encamped  near  Leeds- 
ville.  Next  morning  the  pursuit  was  continued  through 
miry  loads  and  torrents  of  falling  rain.  The  course  of  the 
enemy  was  marked  by  the  usual  signs  of  troops  in  rapid 
retreat,  and  the  falling  trees,  with  which  they  had  blocked 


BATTLE   OF    BARBOURVILLK.  49 

the  way,  yielded  to  the  well-applied  axe.  Over  swollen 
streams  and  miry  roads  the  chase  continued,  till  the  weary 
pursuers  reached  the  Cheat  river  at  Kahler's  ford.  It  was 
noon.  The  column  halted,  and  washed  from  their  clothes 
the  mud  of  the  mountain.  They  now  saw  the  enemy  drawn 
up  in  battle  line,  but  the  sound  of  cannon  put  them  again 
to  flight.  The  baggage  train  being  in  danger  of  capture, 
they  again  formed.  When  the  baggage  train  got  a  little 
forward,  the  flight  and  pursuit  continued,  till,  three  miles 
further  on,  they  reached  Carrick  ford,  and  here,  on  a  bluff, 
General  Garnett  placed  his  artillery,  and  drew  up  his 
infantry  behind  a  fence  and  the  laurel  bushes  with  which 
the  place  abounded.  It  was  a  well  chosen  position.  The 
teams  were  left  in  the  stream,  and  when  the  troops  came 
up  pretended  to  surrender.  Garnett  shouted  to  his  men  to 
fire,  and  a  long  line  of  flame  ran  along  the  river  bank.  The 
Fourteenth  Ohio  rushed  forward,  when  Garnett's  artillery 
opened.  Milroy  came  up,  and  Colonel  Dumont  was  ordered 
to  cross  the  stream  and  take  the  enemy  in  the  rear.  The 
orders  being  countermanded,  he  was  now  advancing  down 
the  ford  to  take  them  in  front.  When  he  reached  the  re- 
quired point  the  enemy  broke,  and  made  for  another  ford 
lower  down.  They  reached  it,  dashed  through  the  stream, 
and  again  fled ;  and  the  pursuit  was  continued  until  the 
fatigued  troops  halted  and  bivouacked.  The  rebel  com- 
mander. General  Garnett,  fell.  The  wounded  wwe  cared 
for,  and  the  dead  buried.  The  enemy  lost  in  the  two  bat- 
tles two  hundred  killed  and  one  thousand  captured.  The 
Federal  loss  was  not  more  than  sixty. 

A  portion  of  the  rebel  troops  in  Western  Virginia,  on  the 
Kanawha,  were  under  General  Wise,  who  was  opposed  by 
General  Cox  of  Ohio.  The  enemy  had  takea  position  at 
Barbourville,  and  at  midnight  a  portion  of  the  command  of 
Colonel  Woodruff  started  off)  under  Lieutenant-colonel 
Neff,  intending  to  make  an  attack  at  day-dawn.  Froir 
necessary  delays,  the  troops  did  not  reach  the  place  till  two 
hours  after  sunrise,  when  they  beheld  the  rebels  drawn  up 
in  line  of  battle  beyond  Guyandotte  river,  from  which 
stretched  an  extensive  plain.  A  large  body  of  cavalry,  at  a 
hill-side,  fell  back  to  take  the  troops  in  flank  and  rear.  The 
column  pushed  on  for  the  bridge,  when  the  enemy  dis- 
charged a  destructive  volley.  •  Nothing  daunted,  the  brava 
5 


50  SIQKL   IN   MISSOURI. 

troops  advanced,  but  when  nearly  across  the  bridge,  a  chasm 
was  seen,  and  the  mule  of  the  guide  tell  through,  while  he 
clung  to  the  timbers.  Our  troops,  infuriated  by  the  cheers 
of  the  rebels,  held  fast  to  the  ties  and  rafters,  and,  though  dis- 
ordered, reached  the  other  side,  when,  without  orders,  they 
rushed  desperately  on  the  lines  of  the  enemy.  The  rebels 
ired  one  volley  and  fled,  and  the  victorious  soldiers  marched 
n  triumph  through  the  town.  Cox  overtaking  Wise  at 
Gauley  bridge,  the  latter  retreated  without  fighting,  and  so, 
in  a  brief  space,  no  more  armed  rebels  remained  in  all 
Western  Virginia. 

The  fame  of  McClellan  became  such  at  this  time  as  to 
attract  universal  attention.  The  eyes  of  the  nation  wero 
upon  him  as  the  man  that  might  yet  restore  the  Republic 
and  end  the  rebellion;  and  he  was  destined  to  rise  to  a 
lofty  eminence  attained  by  few. 

Meanwhile,  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  which  he  was  one 
lay  to  lead,  was  increasing  in  strength  and  preparing  for  a 
grand  contest. 

We  turn  to  Missouri,  where  great  distractions  prevailed. 
Colonel  Sigel,  who  commanded  a  German  regiment,  about 
the  23d  of  June,  arrived  at  Springfield.  Price,  at  this 
time,  was  encamped  at  Neosho,  and  Sigel  resolved  on 
attacking  him  ere  Governor  Jackson,  who  was  coming  to 
join  him,  could  arrive.  Hearing  that  Price,  Rains,  and  Jack- 
son had  united  their  forces  near  Carthage,  Sigel  informed 
General  Sweeney,  then  at  Springfield,  to  that  effect,  and  was 
ordered  to  advance  and  attack  the  enemy,  whom  he  found 
in  great  force  in  an  open  plain,  and  mostly  mounted.  Ad- 
vancing within  eight  hundred  yards,  he  halted,  placed  the 
artillery  in  position,  and  the  rebels  opening  fire,  a  brisk 
artillery  fight  took  place  on  the  open  plain.  The  enemy's 
guns  were  badly  manned,  and  several  of  them  dismounted, 
when  their  cavalry  attempted  to  outflank  the  Federals,  and 
cut  off  the  wagon  train  in  the  rear.  To  prevent  this,  Sigel 
changed  front,  sent  two  six  pounders  to  the  rear,  and  fell 
back  steadily,  fighting  at  every  step.  The  men  moved  on 
silently,  the  enemy's  cavalry  keeping  out  of  range  of  the 
gun*.  On  reaching  the  baggage  trains,  the  troops  were 
formed  in  a  solid  square,  and  with  the  trains  well  pro- 
tected, moved  to  Dry  Fork  creek,  where,  the  road  passing 
between  the  bluffs,  the  enemyis  cavary  now  resolveu  to  cut 


SUCCESSFUL  RETREAT   OF  COLONEL   SIGEL.  51 

off  their  retreat  Sigel  sent  two  cannon  to  the  right,  and 
as  many  to  the  left,  and  led  on  a  body  of  men  as  if  with  the 
intention  of  cutting  his  way  through,  and  the  enemy  at  once 
left  the  road  and  moved  on  each  side  to  prevent  the  move 
nent.  Advancing,  Sigel  enfiladed  them  with  a  terrific  fire, 
while  the  main  body  of  his  troops  came  up  at  a  double- 
quick,  cheering  loudly.  Tl^e  enemy's  cavalry  was  rent 
asunder,  and  fled  in  wild  dismay;  the  riderless  steeds,  in  full 
career,  dashing  over  the  plain.  Sigel  moved  rapidly  on 
Carthage,  and  was  amazed  to  find  it  in  the  enemy's  posses- 
sion, a  secession  flag  waving  from  the  court  house.  He 
now  deterriLaed  to  join  the  rest  of  the  Army  of  the  South- 
west at  Mo  ant  Vernon  or  Sprmg.'r.cld,  and  to  effect  this  he 
must  gain  toe  road  which,  extending  through  a  thick  wood, 
would  b*  lavorable  to  his  protection  from  the  cavalry. 
The  enemy  possessed  it,  and  a  fierce  and  bloody  action  took 
place,  in  whict'  the  enemy,  after  fighting  two  hours  with 
great  lo.is,  retreated.  Sigel  marched  on  during  the  night, 
and  continued  his  retreat  until  Mount  Vernon  was  reached. 
lie  lost  m  killed  and  wounded  forty-four.  The  enemy  lost 
over  throe  hundied. 

Whiie  these  things  were  transpiring,  East  Tennessee  was 
maintaining  her  devotion  to  the  Union  in  a  hard  struggle ; 
and  in  Kentucky  the  people,  many  of  whom  were  loyal, 
made  vigorous  efforts  to  remain  in  the  Union.  The  issue 
was  doubtful,  on  account  of  the  great  popularity  of  John  C, 
Breckinridge,  who  strongly  espoused  the  rebel  c»uje. 


CHAPTER  V. 
JULY,  1861. 

•1CTINO  OF  CONGRESS — PRESIDENTIAL  4IESSAOE — REQUISITION  FOE  Mill 
AND  MONET — THADDEUS  STEVENS — JEFFEKSOX  DAVia's  REQUISITION  FOB 
TROOI'S — PRINCIPAL  COMMANDERS  ON  BOTH  SIDKS — THE  "  ON  TO  RICH 

MONI»"  CRT — THE    REBELS    STRONGLY    FORTIFT    MANASSAS GENERAL   R. 

PATTKUSON — ONWARD  MOVEMENT  DECIDED  ON — MCDOWELL  COMMANDS 
THE  ARMT — COMMANDERS — FORCES  IN  FIVE  DIVISIONS — SPLENDID  SIGHT 
ON  TUK  MARCH — ARTILLERT  FIGHT  AT  BLACKBURN'S  FORD — PLAN  OF  THB 
BATTLE — DIVISIONS  OF  HUNTER  AND  HEINTZELMAN — BATTLE  AND  DEFEAT 
OF  BUM-  UUN — 8ALUTART  EFFECTS. 
*• 

THE  extraordinary  session  of  Congress  at  Washington, 
July  4th,  1861,  was  of  great  importance,  and  will  be  so  re- 
membered. Speeches  of  popularity  were  dispensed  with 
for  once,  and  both  houses,  with  commendable  alacrity,  pro- 
ceeded to  a  consideration  of  the  great  business  before  them. 

The  Presidential  Message,  distinguished  by  brevity,  dis- 
tinctness, and  good  sense,  was  listened  to  with  attention, 
ft  was  not,  indeed,  an  elegant  production,  but  was  full  of 
earnest  and  sincere  patriotism,  and  found  a  faithful  response 
in  every  loyal  heart. 

The  President  made  a  requisition  on  Congress  for  four 
hundred  thousand  men  and  four  hundred  millions  of  dollars, 
BO  that  rebellion,  by  the  most  stringent  measures,  might  be 
put  down.  The  speaker  of  the  llouse  proceeded  to  appoint 
a  chaiiman  of  the  Committee  of  Ways  and  Means,  aad  judi- 
ciously selected  Thaddeus  Stevens,  of  Pennsylvania,  a  man 
highly  gifted  by  nature,  and  of  great  experience  in  the  man 
agement  of  deliberative  bodies.  His  tact  and  skill  in  tht 
arts  of  an  eloquent  and  earnest  orator,  his  logical  acumen 
and  scathing  sarcasm,  the  quickness  of  his  replies  and  com- 
prehensive grasp  of  a  subject,  and  even  his  significant 
silence,  counteracted  the  pernicious  and  treasonable  in- 
tents of  such  men  as  Vallandigham,  of  Ohio,  and  Burnett 
and  Breckinridge,  of  Kentucky,  who  gained  an  unenviable 
notoriety  by  their  persistent  opposition  to  all  loyal  measures. 

A  bill  was  passed  by  Congress  on  the  10th  of  July,  by 
whose  provisic  ^.s  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  was  author- 
(Ml 


PRINCIPAL   COMMANDKBS  ON   BOTH   SIDES.  53 

ized  to  borrow  a  sum  not  exceeding  two  hundred  and  fifty 
millions  of  dollars,  on  the  credit  of  the  United  States,  for 
which  certificates  of  coupon  or  registered  stock  and  treasury 
notes  were  to  be  issued.  This  stock  was  to  bear  interest 
not  exceeding  seven  per  cent,  per  annum,  paid  semi-annually 
in  gold,  and  to  be  redeemed  in  twenty  years.  The  treasury 
notes  were  to  be  payable  three  years  after  date,  and  the  in- 
terest on  them  was  to  be  seven  and  three  tenths  per  cent, 
per  annum.  The  payment  of  the  interest,  and  redemption 
of  the  principal  loan,  were  guaranteed  on  the  faith  01'  the 
United  States. 

Though  this  appropriation  was  found  insufficient,  the  Act 
gave  the  President  ample  means  in  other  respects  to  carry 
on  the  V.T.  •.  and  other  important  bills  were  founded  on  this 
one.  ptcr  ic&  for  an  efficient  prolongation  of  military 
operations.  Never  was  a  Congress  of  the  United  States  so 
unanimous  m  voting  appropriations,  and  two  separate  bills 
were  passed,  in  which,  with  the  appearance  of  accident,  but 
doubtless  net  undesignedly,  the  President  was  invested 
with  authority  to  call  out  a  million  of  men,  should  the 
public  safety  render  it  necessary. 

General  Scott  was  commander-in-chief  of  the  army.  Gen- 
eral  Butler  commanded  at  Fortress  Monroe ;  General  Banks 
at  Annapolis ;  General  Irwin  McDowell  in  front  of  Wash- 
ington ;  General  Patterson  at  Harper's  Ferry ;  while  Model- 
Ian  had  charge  of  the  Department  of  Western  Virginia,  and 
Anderson  and  TIarney,  Kentucky  and  Missouri,  respectively 

Jefferson  Davis  called  out  man  for  man  to  contend  with 
the  Union  forces,  and  it  was  anticipated  that  the  first  en- 
counter of  the  great  armies  would  prove  decisive.  The 
rebels  endeavored  to  stir  up  the  Indians  of  the  Kansas  bor- 
der and  the  regions  of  New  Mexico  against  the  Union,  and 
threatened  Fort  Pickens,  the  only  remaining  Federal  fort  on 
the  gulf. 

General  P.  T.  G.  Beauregard  commanded  the  rebel  army 
atManassas,  while  J.  E.  Johnston  opposed  General  Patteison 
on  the  Potomac.  Bishop  Leonidas  Polk,  of  Louisiana  com- 
manded in  Mississippi ;  Albert  Sidney  Johnson  in  the  South- 
west, and  Price  in  Missouri. 

The  press  of  the  country,  which,  for  some  time  past,  had 
lent  the  Government  gratuitous  advice,  now  headed  their 
columns  with  "  OK  to  Richmond ;"  and  grieved  to  see  a  largt 


64  THE  "ON  TO  RICHMOND"  CRT. 

army,  at  such  expense,  idle,  in  no  measured  terms  con 
demned  the  inactivity  and  Fabian  policy  of  the  veteran  hero 
General  Scott. 

His  sagacity  and  caution  did  not  suit ;  according  to  them 
the  North  was  invincible,  and  Southerners  cowards.  The  dela^ 
was  useless.  It  was  but  to  put  it  to  the  test,  and  bring  on 
a  battle  which  must  be  successful.  Politicians  in  Congress 
became  inflamed  by  these  oft  repeated  and  urgent  demands 
Tho  clamor  became  still  greater,  and  the  Army  of  the  Poto 
mac  must  be  put  in  motion.  Military  experience  availed 
nothing ;  neither  did  the  fact  that  a  few  weeks  were  not  suf- 
ficient to  enable  the  raw  recruit  to  discharge  efficiently  the 
duty  of  a  soldier.  The  more  sagacious  now  saw  that  the 
nation  must  be  saved  from  this  state  of  agitation  either  by 
moderate  counsels  or  the  costly  lessons  gained  by  experi- 
ence. Some  ultra-republicans  thought  this  a  favorable  crisia 
to  advocate  the  doctrine  of  the  abolition  of  slavery,  and  the 
loyal  members  from  the  border  States  became  alarmed. 

The  blockade  proclaimed  by  the  President,  and  the  col  • 
lection  of  the  revenue  in  Southern  States,  were  sanctioned 
by  an  act  of  Congress,  and  a  bill  was  passed,  authorizing  the 
Secretary  of  the  Navy  to  increase  the  naval  force,  by  pur 
chase  or  contract,  in  such  a  manner  as  to  render  the  blockade 
efficient.  For  this,  an  appropriation  of  three  millions  of 
dollars  was  made.  The  privateer  Sumtcr  was  at  this  time 
burning  Federal  ships  on  the  ocean,  and  commencing  a 
career  of  destruction  and  cruelty  seldom  paralleled. 

General  Scott  was  now  at  a  loss  how  to  proceed.  He 
knew  that  in  the  present  state  of  affairs  the  army  was  un- 
prepared. Regiments,  equipped  and  uniformed,  could  be 
transported  with  difficulty,  however  easily  they  might  reach 
Washington.  Provisions,  and  the  many  requisites  of  an 
army,  could  not  be  obtained  without  time  and  patience. 
A  battle  that  should  not  be  decisive  would  but  disappoint 
the  nation.  To  fight  unprepared — to  attack  a  powerful 
enemy  in  strong  intrenchments  with  raw  troops— seemed 
highly  imprudent.  But  the  troops  before  Washington 
were  mostly  enlisted  for  three  months,  and  to  disband  them 
without  giving  them  a  chance  of  striking  a  blow  for  their 
country,  would  disappoint  the  public  expectations,  and  im- 
pede future  enlistments.  Politicians,  in  the  meantime 
pressed  Congress ;  Congress  the  President  and  Cabinet,  and 


GENERAL   R.   PATTERSON.  66 

these,  in  turn,  General  Scott ;  till  a  battle  was  resolved  on  j 
but  na  one  imagined  the  result,  by  which,  in  one  day,  the 
nation  was  taught  a  most  wholesome  lesson. 

It  is  necessary  to  go  back  a  little  to  describe  some  events, 
important  on  account  of  their  bearing  on  what  soon  iftei 
took  plac«. 

General  Robert  Patterson  commanded  the  three  montha 
men  who  made  a  campaign  in  Virginia,  and,  on  the  30th  o' 
June.  186L  missed  his  force  before  crossing  the  Potomac 
The  duties  thla  army  had  to  perform  were  twofold — th( 
first  was  to  drive  the  rebels  from  Harper's  Ferry,  the  next 
to  keep  Johnston  from  joining  Beauregard  at  Manassa? 
The  failure  of  these  designs  gave  rise  to  the  disasters  shortl;.' 
to  be  described.  Patterson,  instead  of  leading  his  men 
twenty  thousand  in  number,  directly  to  Harper's  Ferry, 
took  the  road  toward  Willinmsport,  and  the  enemy  held 
Harper's  Ferry  unmolested  till  it  was  their  purposo  to  con- 
centrate at  Manassas,  and  then,  after  burning  the  Federal 
property  to  a  large  amount,  the  place  war  evacuated.  Gen- 
eral Patterson,  instead  of  intercepting  Johnston,  occupied  the 
deserted  town  of  Harper's  Ferry,  which  he  entered  on  the 
same  day  of  the  battle  of  Manassas,  and  thus  failed  in  both 
designs. 

Manassas  plain  was  unknown  to  fame  before  the  battle, 
which,  fought  there,  rendered  it  classic  ground.  Not  occe 
alone  during  the  war  did  the  North  and  South  conterd  for 
supremacy  on  that  ground.  It  was  strong  by  nature,  and 
fortified  with  consummate  engineering  skill  by  Beauregard. 
It  is  situated  between  the  Potomac  and  the  eastern  spur  of 
she  Blue  Ridge,  and  its  higher  ground  commands  the  por- 
tion of  couniry  between  these  two  points.  Toward  the 
head  of  the  Occoquan,  ran  the  right  wing  of  the  intrench- 
ments.  The  left  had  a  rolling  table  land,  with  elevations, 
on  which  artillery  posted  could  command  the  whole  ex- 
panse. The  centre  of  the  army  was  posted  on  the  key  to 
the  whole;  and  batteries,  admirably  arranged,  were  con- 
structed with  great  skill.  A  chain  of  hills,  at  nearly  equal 
distances,  had  in  front  a  deep  ravine,  thickly  M  x)ded. 
Water  was  abundant,  c,r,d  a  fertile  country  in  tl  j  real 
afforded  ample  subsistence  to  the  troops.  On  this  formida- 
ble position  the  FuJersl  troops  were  now  about  to  march 
and  make  an  «t,lick.  The  Federal  forces  were  entrusted  to 


56  O3TWARD   MOVEMENT   DECIDED  OK. 

the  command  of  Colonel  Invin  McDowell,  an  officer  of 
bravery  and  skill,  who,  on  being  consulted  respecting  the 
number  of  men  he  would  need  for  the  attempt,  promised 
success  only  on  the  condition  that  the  army  under  Johnston 
was  not  included  in  the  number  of  his  opponents  in  the 
forthcoming  battle. 

Preparations  were  now  complete,  and  over  forty  thousand 
men,  on  the  17th  of  July,  1861,  took  up  the  line  of  march 
for  Manassas.  The  army  consisted  of  five  divisions — the 
first  under  General  Tyler;  the  second  under  Colonel  Hun- 
ter- while  Colonel  Heint/elman  commanded  the  third, 
General  Runyon  the  fourth,  and  Colonel  Miles  the  fifth 
division.  The  march  produced  great  enthusiasm.  Great 
joy  was  diffused  throughout  the  loyal  North  that  traitors 
were  now  about  to  receive  merited  punishment.  Visitors 
to  Washington,  members  of  the  press,  etc.,  desired  permission 
to  accompany  the  army — and  a  crowd,  on  horseback  and  in 
carriages  of  different  descriptions,  impeded  the  march  of 
the  troops,  or  followed  in  their  rear.  The  magnificent 
array  looked  like  some  joyful  picnic  in  the  fair  fields  of 
Virginia,  as  the  regimental  bands  discoursed  eloquent  and 
soul-inspiring  national  music,  the  bayonets  flung  back  the 
solar  rays  in  glittering  sheen,  and  the  proud  war  steed, 
managed  by  his  skilful  and  gallant  rider,  kept  pace  with 
the  soldier  of  daantless  breast  and  ardent  hope  toiling  on 
his  march.  Where  is  the  loyal  heart  that  would  not  glow 
with  patriotic  ardor,  and  what  dastard  spirit  would  predict 
misfortune  ? 

The  troops  encamped  at  Fairfax  for  the  night,  after 
driving  out  the  enemy's  pickets,  plundering  all  they  could 
lay  their  hands  on,  and  had  a  jolly  time  of  riotous  frolio 
in  their  camps. 

General  Tyler  received  oiders  on  the  way,  near  Centre- 
yille  to  take  up  a  position  there,  and  observe  the  ap- 

S roaches  to  it.  Neglecting  this,  he  marched  on  to  Bull 
un,  and  seeing  the  enemy's  batteries  on  the  bank  oppo- 
site, opened  fire  on  them,  which  brought  on  an  artillery 
duel,  of  no  great  effect,  only  ending  in  the  withdrawal  of 
the  Union  batteries.  Tyler  had  made  no  reconnoissance, 
and  was  in  danger  of  bringing  on  a  general  engagement 
while  the  main  body  of  the  forces  were  on  the  march. 
The  next  day  (Friday,  July  8th)  an  extended  observation 


BATTLE   OF   BULL   RUlC. 

made  on  the  enemy's  forces  and  position.  A  iireot 
movement  on  his  strongly-posted  batteries  was  a  desperate 
undertaking  only  to  be  attempted  as  the  last  resort.  A 
flank  movement  was  more  likely  to  succeed. 

Three  roads  branch  off  from  Centreville  toward  Bull 
Ran,  which  gave  the  Federal  commander  the  determination 
to  attack  in  three  columns.  The  enemy  was  strongly 
posted  along  the  line  of  Bull  Run  for  eight  miles.  The 
stream,  which  is  sluggish,  and  has  many  fords,  runs  from 
northwest  to  southeast,  and  behind  it  the  ground  rises  into 
hills,  well  wooded.  On  the  left,  toward  the  east,  is  Black- 
burn s  ford,  where  Tyler  had  the  artillery  fight.  The  rebel 
strength  on  that  flank  was  too  great,  and  this  determined 
McDowell  to  turn  his  extreme  left  by  a  ford  so  far  away  to 
the  west  that  the  enemy  had  left  it  undefended.  Hunter 
was  to  execute  this  task.  Heintzelman  was  to  make  an 
attack  at  the  next  ford  below,  and  while  Hunter  should 
appear  on  the  other  side  of  the  stream,  driving  the  enemy 
he  was  to  cross,  and,  joining  forces,  they  were  to  keep  down 
stream.  While  thus  engaged,  Tyler  was  to  move  along 
the  War,rentown  road  and  attract  the  enemy's  attention  at 
Stone  bridge.  Lest  the  enemy  might  make  a  similar  move- 
ment at  Blackburn's  ford,  on  the  extreme  left,  while  this 
programme  was  being  carried  out  he  massed  a  large  force 
there  to  check  him  and  make  it  appear  that  this  was  the 
main  point  of  attack.  Colonel  Miles,  with  the  fifth  division 
as  a  reserve,  was  stationed  on  the  heights  of  Centreville. 

BATTLE  OF  BULL  RUN. 

The  march  was  begun  on  Saturday,  the  21st,  at  foui 
o'clock,  P.  M.,  in  the  deepest  silence,  broken  only  by  the 
rumbling  of  artillery-carriages  and  the  tread  of  advancing 
brigades.  It  was  a  splendid  sight,  as  the  moonlight  shone 
on  the  glancing  arms,  or  fell  on  the  long  line  of  wagons 
and  ambulances,  or  the  columns  of  cavalry  that  wound 
their  way  through  lights  and  shadows  of  a  scene  diversified 
by  the  abando'ned  camp  fires,  which  shone  out  brightly,  the 
green  fields,  and  hills,  and  wooded  dells.  The  divisions 
moved  on  to  their  assigned  positions.  Those  of  Hunter 
and  Heintzelman,  consisting  of  fourteen  thousand  men,  on 
whom  the  main  result  depended,  moved  on  together  till 
Heintzelman  stopped  at  tb  ^  ford  where  he  was  to  cross,  and 


68  BATTLS  OF   BULL   RUW. 

Hunter  proceeded.  The  rest  of  the  forces  irere  to  keep 
the  enemy  engaged  in  front  until  Hunter  and  Heintzelman 
appeared  on  the  opposite  ban!:,  then  a  general  advance 
would  take  place.  A  thirty  pound  Parrott  gun,  the  signal 
agreed  on,  awoke  the  still  echoes  of  a  calm  Sabbath  morn- 
ing, and  showed  that  Tyler  was  in  front  of  the  enemy's 
centre.  He  was  to  threaten  the  bridge  till  the  appearance 
of  Hunter  and  Heintzelman  on  the  other  side  coming  down 
the  stream,  when  he  was  to  cross  and  assist  them.  He  was 
jarly  in  position,  and  had  time  to  observe  the  enemy 
strongly  posted  on  the  heights  that  rose  on  the  banks, 
where  earthworks  were  thrown  up  and  the  woods  which 
prevented  his  cannon  range  cleared  away.  The  descent  on 
the  side  of  the  Federal  army  was  densely  wooded,  and  less 
steep.  The  troops  of  Hunter  and  Heintzelman  were  ob- 
served by  a  look-out  stationed  in  a  tree.  For  hours,  except 
a  few  shells  from  a  Parrott  gun,  this  division  remained  in- 
active. 

The  brigade  of  Colonel  Eichardson,  from  the  reserve 
under  Miles,  was  posted  at  Blackburn's  ford;  and  while 
Tyler  was  to  suspend  his  attack  till  he  saw  Hunter  and 
Heintzelman  on  the  other  side  of  the  stream,  the  sound  of 
his  artillery  was  to  be  the  signal  for  Richardson,  who  vas 
farther  down,  to  attack  at  the  ford.  The  di-Hons  of  Hun- 
ter and  Heintzelman  were  therefore  anxio  looked  for, 
and  every  eye  and  ear  waited  with  intense  interest  to  see 
their  columns  or  catch  the  sound  of  their  artillery.  The 
road  laid  down  on  the  map  was  an  imaginary  one,  and  so, 
when  this  discovery  was  made  by  Heintzelman,  he  followed 
Hunter — and  reaching  Sudley  Springs  ford,  found  that  the 
troops  of  Hunter,  with  the  exception  of  one  brigade  in  the 
stream,  had  crossed.  The  troops  were  fatigued,  and  the 
enemy,  having  discovered  the  movement,  was  massing  on 
Hunter,  when  Heintzelman,  finding  it  took  too  much  time 
to  cross  his  men  in  a  body,  ordered  them  to  break  off  and 
cross  the  best  they  could.  The  thirsty  soldiers  waited  to 
fill  their  canteens,  and  the  march  was  delayed.  A  courier 
dashed  up  to  McDowell,  who  had  lain  on  the  ground  to 
rest,  as  he  was  suffering  from  illness,  and  told  him  that 
Hunter  had  crossed  Bull  Run.  He  sprang  into  the  saddle 
and  galloped  to  join  the  advancing  column.  In  advance 
of  Hunter,  the  enemy  were  driven  before  Porter,  Burnside 


JOHNSTON    REINFORCES    BEAUREGARD.  59 

and  Sprague ;  and  Ileintzelman  corning  up  on  their  left,  the 
enemy's  position  was  turned.  For  five  miles  along  Bull 
Run,  the  artillery  belched  forth  the  bolts  of  death,  and 
moving  columns  were  seen  struggling  for  the  victory  amid 
the  smoke  and  battle-din. 

Meagher,  at  the  head  of  the  gallant  Sixty-ninth  Irish 
regiment  of  sixteen  hundred  men,  led  them  on  as  thei? 
•houts  rent  the  air.  They  were  quickly  followed  by  the 
Thirteenth  New  York  and  Second  Wisconsin  legiments, 
and  now,  while  the  sun  rose  in  the  zenith,  a  terrible  strug- 
gle ensued.  Rickett's  battery  was  captured  by  the  enemy, 
after  losing  every  man  at  the  guns.  Hunter  was  wounded, 
but  his  division,  and  that  of  Heintzleman,  still  advanced 
driving  the  retiring  enemy  before  them.  Amid  the  deafening 
roar  of  cannon,  the  curling  smoke  of  battle,  and  the  dread 
confusion  of  conflicting  hosts,  the  work  of  death  went  on 
in  the  fierce  struggle  for  the  victory.  The  sound  of  artillery 
was  heard  as  far  as  "Washington,  and  the  affrighted  in- 
habitants at  places  less  remote  grew  pale  with  fear  as  the 
reverberations  of  the  artillery  sounded  in  their  ears.  A 
panic  which  took  place  among  the  New  York  Fire  Zouaves 
occasioned  the  loss  of  Rickett's  battery.  Inefficient  officers 
caused  some  regiments  to  fail.  Some  fought  well  for  awhile, 
and  then  fled  in  terror.  Heintzelrnan,  Porter,  Earnside,  and 
Sprague,  distinguished  themselves  on  this  sventful  day. 
The  two  flanking  divisions  had  reached  the  further  banks 
of  Bull  Run,  and  stood  opposite  Tyler's  position  at  the  Stone 
bridge,  and  the  efforts  of  the  enemy  to  roll  back  the  tide 
of  battle  proved  abortive.  Tyler  Bent  reinforcements  across 
the  stream.  Sherman  and  Keyes  led  their  men  on,  and  at 
two  o'clock  the  whole  rebel  army  was  borne  back  a  mile 
and  a  half,  many  put  to  flight,  and  Beauregard  preparing 
to  retreat  to  Manassas  Junction.  Victory  was  perching  on 
loyal  banners. 

Just  at  this  critical  moment,  Johnston,  having  eluded 
Patterson,  suddenly  threw  ten  thousand  fresh  troops  on  the 
exhausted  brigades  of  Hunter  and  Heintzelman,  who  had 
sustained  a  long  march  and  protracted  fight  on  scant  rations, 
and  now  suffered  with  thirst.  The  attack  was  made  in 
flank  and  rear.  The  gallant  Heintzelman  in  vain  galloped 
among  his  broken  ranks.  Griffin  saw  his  guns  captured, 
and  Sprague  spiked  the  guns  of  hifl  regiment  with  his  owu 


60  AOUT  Or  THE  FEDERAL  TROOPS. 

hands  before  he  fled.  McDowell,  hearing  heavy  eannont 
ding  at  Blackburn's  ford,  and  fearing  to  be  outflanked  on 
the  left,  which  would  be  entirely  ruinous,  drew  up  the  re- 
serve and  took  measures  to  arrest  the  enemy's  pursuit. 

A  dreadful  spectacle  was  now  presented.  The  fields  and 
roads  were  teeming  with  a  disorderly,  flying  rout,  while 
wagons,  teams,  carriages,  and  hacks  blocked  up  the  way. 
and  wounded  and  riderless  horses  were  madly  plunging, 
and  wounded  men  were  raising  suppliant  hands  to  be  car- 
ried off  by  those  who  were  mounted.  The  artillery  which 
remained  rumbled  on,  destroying  every  thing  in  its  way, 
and  the  cavalry  dashed  on  regardless  of  the  flying  infantry. 
The  wounded  fell  into  the  enemy's  hands.  The  soldiers  in 
their  flight  cast  away  every  thing ;  and  cannon,  guns,  arms, 
accoutrements,  wagons,  in  a  word,  all  the  dtbris  of  an  army 
sfcewed  the  way. 

The  reserve,  under  Blencker,  at  Centreville,  drawn  up  in 
line,  stayed  the  disorder  of  the  fugitives,  but  they  con- 
tinued, weary  and  toiling,  to  find  their  way  into  Washing- 
ton, whose  inhabitants  were  terror-stricken.  Some  regi- 
ments found  their  way  to  the  capital  in  good  order,  and 
maintained  their  discipline. 

The  news  produced  horror  and  shame  at  the  North,  and 
Washington  it  was  feared  would  be  captured.  It  is  probable 
that,  if  Beauregard  had  advanced  on  the  heels  of  the  flying 
hoet,  he  might  have  taken  Washington;  but  the  enemy 
attempted  no  pursuit,  and  had  got  a  severe  drubbing  before 
reinforcements  arrived. 

The  Federals  lost  nearly  three  thousand  in  killed,  wounded, 
and  missing,  including  one  thousand  four  hundred  and 
twenty-three  prisoners.  Colonel  Cameron,  brother  of  the 
secretary  of  War,  was  killed,  and  also  Colonel  Slocum  of 
Khode  Island.  Colonel  Corcoran  of  New  York,  and  Mr.  Ely, 
member  of  Congress  from  Rochester,  New  York,  were  cap- 
tured. We  lost  four  thousand  muskets,  twenty-three  can- 
non, artillery  wagons,  and  a  large  quantity  of  stores  and 
equipments,  and  much  ammunition.  Twenty  thousand  of 
our  troops  were  engaged  in  the  battle,  which  was  perhaps 
equal  to  the  actual  number  of  the  enemy  before  the  rein- 
forcements. 

No  discouragement,  even  for  a  moment,  stopped  the  on 
ward  progress  of  the  North  u    the  grand  determination  to 


SALUTARY  B7FECTS  OT  THE  DEFEAT.        61 

put  down  rebellion.  As  usual  in  cases  of  failure,  some  one 
had  to  be  blamed ;  but  McDowell  in  a  great  measure,  and 
justly,  escaped  censure.  Some  blamed  the  newspapers  and 
the  "  On  to  Richmond  1"  party  ;  others,  General  Patterson ; 
and  others,  the  administration.  It  would  be  fair  to  sup- 
pose, that  had  General  Patterson  been  in  a  condition  to  take 
care  of  Johnston,  and  Beauregard  received  no  reinforce- 
ments, the  result  of  the  battle  would  have  been  different, 
and  victory,  not  defeat,  have  ensued.  The  time  of  the  three 
months'  men,  however,  was  expiring,  and  whether  better 
could  have  been  done  remains  somewhat  doubtful.  Provi 
dence  taught  the  nation  a  lesson,  and  the  nation  profited  by 
it  in  the  end.  The  contempt  for  the  fighting  qualities  of 
the  South  never  afterward  rose  to  the  same  height,  and  the 
"Southerners"  were  found  on  many  a  field  to  be  no  despi- 
cable enemies,  and  to  fight  with  a  valor  worthy  a  better 
cause. 

Many  incompetent  officers  were  soon  dismissed  the  ser 
vice.     They  were  unfit  for  their  positions,  and  many  more 
too  who  succeeded  them.     The  folly  of  enlisting  men  for 
three  months  was  seen,  and  a  regular  drill  was  found  requi 
site  to  make  the  citizen  an  efficient  soldier.     The  lesson  of 
humility  was  not  lost  on  the  nation ;  and  the  goodness  of 
Providence  watched  over  its  destinies,  and  gave  help  in  tirns 
of  need. 


CHAPTER    Vl. 

JULY — AUGUST,    1861. 

OtJTDITIOIT  OF  THB  ARMT  AFTKR  THE  BATTLE  OF  BULL  RUN — IT* 
AJ»D  A  NEW  ONE  RAISBD — MAGNITUDE  OF  THE  ENTERPRISE — MCCl.KLLAR 
TAKSB  THE  COMMAND — BANKS  AND  FRKMONT — FREMONT  SENT  TO  MIS- 
SOURI— PROXIMITY  OF  THE  REBELS  TO  THE  CAPITAL — PATRIOTIC  RISING 
OF  THE  NORTH — LTON  MARCHES  AGAINST  MCCULLOUOH — KENTUCKY 
DECIDES  BY  VOTE  TO  REMAIN  LOYAL — FREMONT  IN  ST.  LOUIS — BATTLE  OF 
WILSON'S  CREEK  ;  DEATH  OFLYON — THE  UNION  ARMY  RETREATS — RKQRKT 
ON  THE  DEATH  OF  LYON — SPIRIT  OF  THE  CLERGY  AT  THE  SOUTH. 

ABOUT  the  time  of  the  disaster  to  the  Federal  arms  at 
Bull  Run,  the  newa  of  the  surrender  of  Fort  Filmore,  in 
New  Mexico,  by  Major  Lynde  to  some  Texan  troops,  was 
promulgated  to  the  nation ;  and  seven  hundred  men  gave 
up  their  arms  without  a  struggle. 

The  Army  of  the  Potomac  was  now  in  a  demoralized  con- 
dition, military  affairs  were  in  a  state  of  great  confusion, 
and  the  time  for  which  the  men  had  been  enlisted  having 
expired,  it  became  evident  that  a  new  army  must  now  be 
levied.  General  Patterson  assigned  as  a  reason  for  his  slow 
movements,  the  refusal  of  several  of  his  regiments  to  fight, 
as  their  term  of  enlistment  had  expired,  and  the  report  of 
General  McDowell  went  to  show  that  ten  thousand  men 
would  have  required  their  discharge  in  a  few  days.  In  the 
face  of  the  enemy,  the  Fourth  Pennsylvania  regiment  and 
the  Ninth  New  York  Militia  battery  refused  to  serve 
aaother  day.  They  demanded  their  discharge  immediately, 
and  when  the  army  marched  on  to  contend  with  the  enemy, 
these  troops  "  moved  to  the  rear  to  the  sound  of  the  enemy's 
cannon."  No  arguments  were  listened  to  by  them,  and 
affairs,  in  the  circumstances  of  defeat,  were  in  no  way  im- 
proved. The  chaos  of  a  demoralized  army  is  always  an 
unhappy  event,  even  in  the  case  of  the  most  hardy 
veterans,  but  the  seventy  five  thousand  thi  ee  months '  recruits 
on  the  expiration  of  their  term,  and  upon  the  defeat  of  the 
army,  became  little  better  than  a  mob.  In  place  of  this  dis- 
organized army,  a  new  one  must  be  raised,  drilled,  and  made 
ready  for  action.  The  President  mighi,  like  Pomp«y,  call 
(62) 


jfCCLELLAN   TAKES  THE   COMMAND.  63 

forth  legions  by  merely  stamping  on  the  ground,  but  it 
was  an  enterprise  of  immense  difficulty  to  raise  and  prepare 
an  army  of  half  a  million  of  men  for  effective  field  service. 

It  was  plain  that  General  Scott,  from  age  and  infirmities, 
was  not  able  to  undertake  this  herculean  task.  The  next  to 
him,  in  seniority,  was  Major-general  George  B.  McClellan 
who  had  covered  himself  with  glory  in  the  campaign  f)f 
Western  Virginia. 

While,  therefore,  Major-general  Nathaniel  P.  Banks  i  >oi 
command  of  Patterson's  forces,  on  the  Potomac,  and 
General  John  C.  Fremont,  who  had  been  made  a  major-  £eu 
eral  in  the  regular  army,  was  put  in  command  ol  the 
Western  Department,  including  Illinois  and  the  State?  be- 
tween the  Mississippi  and  the  Rocky  Mountains,  Go  .eral 
McClellan  was  ordered  to  Washington,  and  reached  that 
place  on  the  26th  of  July.  The  appointments  of  McC)  ;llan 
and  Banks  were  received  with  public  favor,  but  man  f  re- 
garded that  of  Fremont  as  a  political  expedient,  which 
would  have  an  unfavorable  result.  Those  who  took  thia 
view,  thought  that  Lyon  was  the  man  best  suited  to  com- 
mand in  the  Western  Department,  and  that  many  defeats 
and  losses  might  have  been  thereby  avoided,  at  least  in 
Missouri. 

McClellan's  post  was  no  sinecure,  but  he  manfully 
grappled  with  the  difficulties  before  him.  The  capital  was 
full  of  officers  and  soldiers,  who  flocked  to  the  drinking 
saloons  with  which  the  place  abounded,  and  who,  forgetting 
subordinat:on,  became  a  disgrace  to  the  military  profession. 
While  they  were  thus  carousing,  the  Confederate  flag  waved 
proudly  in  sight.  The  fortifications  erected  by  Scott 
proved  of  invaluable  service,  though  the  baffled  energy 
threatened  the  upper  Potomac  and  the  not  too  loyal  Mary- 
land, while  batteries  sealed  the  river  below.  The  troops 
authorized  to  be  raised  by  the  act  of  Congress,  were  now 
0 warming  in  every  part  of  the  loyal  States  from  the  Atlant'O 
10  the  Pacific.  Never  was  such  a  levy  so  promptly  respond- 
ed to  by  any  nation,  and  the  number  called  'or  would,  in 
all  likelihood,  be  far  exceeded.  Patriotic  hearts  were  fired 
to  wipe  the  disgrace  of  defeat  from  the  escutcheon  of  the 
North.  Every  Congressional  district,  every  city  and  everj? 
village,  poured  out  its  willing  volunteers ;  schools  of  in 
rtruction  abound  »d,  and  daily  dr  U.  for  hours,  was  forr- 


W  LTON    MARCHES   AGAINST   MCCULLOUQH. 

ing  as  fine  an  army  as  the  world  ever  saw.  Drums  beat, 
flags  waved,  enthusiasm  everywhere  prevailed,  and  the 
nation  soon  saw  that  success  would  yet  crown  the  efforts  cf 
patriotism.  For  months  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  lay  in- 
active, busily  preparing  to  strike  the  blow  which  should  be 
fatal  to  rebellion.  Order  and  discipline  now  began  to  take 
the  place  of  chaos  and  insubordination.  Meantime  Generals 
Rosecrans  and  Cox  opposed  the  enemy  in  Western  Virginia, 
and  the  State  Convention  of  Missouri  elected  Hamilton  R. 
Gamble  Provisional  Governor,  in  the  place  of  Jackson,  who 
had  joined  the  Confederates. 

General  Lyon  was  now  constantly  occupied  with  the 
enemy,  and  had  little  time  to  observe  the  changes  affecting 
the  State.  He  offered  battle  to  a  portion  of  McCul  lough's 
forces  at  'Dug  Springs,  on  the  2d  of  August,  but  the  enemy 
retired,  after  sustaining  a  severe  charge  of  a  body  of 
cavalry.  The  men  were  suffering  from  heat  and  thirst,  bnt 
after  marching  beyond  Springfield,  provisions  being  scarce, 
and  the  troops  worn  out  with  fatigue,  Lyon  determined 
to  return  to  that  place,  with  which  his  communication  was 
in  danger  of  being  severed. 

While  the  greatest  joy  was  manifested  in  Congress,  on 
the  announcement  by  Mr.  Wickliffe,  member  from  Ken- 
tucky, that  by  a  decisive  vote,  she  determined  to  aoide  in 
the  Union,  John  C.  Breckinridge,  the  secessionist,  was 
being  serenaded  in  Baltimore.  On  the  same  day,  the  rebel 
Magruder,  marching  out  of  Hampton,  where  he  had  com- 
manded the  enemy's  forces,  barbarously  fired  and  laid  it  in 
ashes.  In  Missouri,  General  Pillow  was  said  to  be  at  New 
Madrid  with  an  army,  threatening  St.  Louis;  and  Lyon,  at 
Springfield,  was  threatened  by  McCullough  and  Price.  Or? 
the  10th  of  August,  Lyon  was  informed  that  Generals  McCu! 
lough  and  Price,  with  overwhelming  forces,  were  within 
ten  miles  of  his  command,  threatening  to  attack  him.  He 
deemed  that  the  loyal  people  of  Springfield  and  the  Union 
cause  required  him  to  fight,  although  reinforcements  could 
not  reach  him.  He  determined  to  resist  the  enemy,  and  then 
ensued 

TBK  BATTLE  OF  WILSON'S  CREEK. 

Lyon  first  planned  a  night  attack,  but  was  not  ready  in 
time  He  then  put  off  the  fight  until  next  day;  this  wai 


BAttLE  Of  WILSON'S  CRttEK.  6ft 

Saturday,  June  9th,  1861.  He  sent  Sigel,  with  his  own  com 
m&nd  and  that  of  Colonel  Solomon,  southerly  from  Spring- 
field  to  the  enemy's  rear,  when  the  guns  of  Lyon  in  front 
should  be  the  signal  of  attack.  General  Lyon  marched 
during  Friday  night,  and  reached  the  enemy's  position,  nine 
miles  s:uth  of  Springfield,  at  four  o'clock  in  the  morning. 
Having  haked  till  six,  he  attacked  the  advantageous  position 
of  the  enemy.  Captain  Wright,  with  some  companies  of 
mounted  home  guards,  skirmished  with  a  small  body  of 
cavalry,  in  advance  to  the  left,  which  by  retiring,  drew  the 
Federals  into  an  ambuscade,  and  three  thousand  rebels, 
rushing  to  the  encounter,  forced  them  to  retire.  On  the  other 
ond  of  the  line,  the  Federal  troops,  consisting  of  the  First 
Missouri,  the  battalion  of  Osterhaus,  and  Totten's  battery, 
being  well  posted,  attacked  the  enemy,  who  broke  and  fled 
to  a  hill-top  in  the  rear,  pursued  by  the  Federals,  when 
their  advance  was  checked  by  a  fresh  Louisiana  regiment 
A  desperate  fight  of  forty-five  minutes  and  the  routed 
rebels  were  pursued  to  the  brow  of  a  third  hill,  where,  meet- 
ing a  fresh  rebel  force,  a  deadly  combat  ensued,  which  being 
protracted  and  the  rebel  fire  destructive,  the  result  was  for 
awhile  uncertain.  Fresh  Kansas  and  Iowa  troops  to  sup- 
port the  Federals  rushed  in  and  were  assailed  in  turn  by 
overwhelming  numbers.  Captain  Grata  was  killed,  and 
Lieutenant  Brown  disabled.  The  carnage  was  dreadful. 
But  though  the  enemy,  mowed  down  by  Totten's  well-served 
battery,  fell  like  hay,  their  great  numbers  enabled  them  to 
fill  up  the  gaps  in  the  ranks,  and  hurl  back  defiance  on 
their  assailants.  The  action  now  became  general.  The 
Missouri,  Iowa,  and  Kansas  regiments  had  borne  the  brunt 
of  battle,  and  General  Lyon  had  in  person  superintended  al' 
operations,  animating  his  troops,  and  issuing  commands 
Wounded  twice,  he  continued  to  urge  on  his  men;  and  when 
he  saw  the  firmness  of  the  First  Iowa  regiment,  under  a 
heavy  fire,  its  energetic  attack,  which  made  the  ene;nj 
atagger,  and  the  relief  it  lent  the  exhausted  Missouri  regi- 
ment when  about  to  give  way,  he  cheered  it  heartily,  and 
expressed  his  enthusiastic  admiration. 

He  now  determined  to  carry  the  day  at  the  point  of  the 
bayonet.  When  all  was  ready,  the  commander  of  the  Iowa 
troops  was  missing,  and  Lyon  putting  himself  at  their  head, 
Bried — "  Come  on,  brave  men,  /  will  lead  you  I" 


66  DEATH   OF  LT01C. 

The  charge  was  made.  In  vain  the  enemy's  superiot 
numbers.  They  faltered,  broke,  and  fled.  The  heroic 
Lyon  received  a  ball  in  the  side,  fell  from  his  horse,  an3 
immediately  expired.  General  Sweeney  was  wounded  in 
the  leg  «nd  disabled,  and  Major  Sturgis  took  the  command. 
The  enemy  made  one  assault  more ;  their  ranks  were  thinned 
by  the  brave  attacks  of  our  men  and  the  fire  of  Tctten's 
artillery.  They  again  broke  and  fled,  firing  their  wagons 
before  retiring. 

The  Federals  were  unable  to  follow  up  the  victory  for 
want  of  ammunition  and  because  Sigel  had  been  defeated 
by  overwhelming  numbers,  and  lost  five  of  his  guns,  though 
he  escaped  with  most  of  his  command.  The  Federal  troops 
now  retired  to  Springfield,  and  later,  to  Holla,  under  Colonel 
Sigel.  The  Federal  loss  in  the  battle  was  about  two  hun- 
dred killed  and  seven  hundred  wounded.  The  rebel  loss 
was  much  greater,  though  the  exact  number  is  unknown. 
They  lost  four  hundred  horses,  and  seventy  prisoners  were 
captured.  Five  thousand  had  fought  with  twenty  thousand. 
Ours  was  the  triumph,  but  the  loss  of  Lyon,  at  the  outset 
of  his  brief 'and  glorious  career,  was  irreparable.  When 
the  Federal  troops  fell  back  to  Holla,  Missouri  was  left 
mostly  in  the  hands  of  the  rebels,  who  burnt  the  bridges, 
destroyed  the  railroads,  and  made  peaceful  homes  a  desola- 
tion. 

The  news  of  the  death  of  Lyon  was  heard  with  deep 
national  grief.  lie  was  a  pure  patriot,  full  of  energy  and 
heroism,  endeared  to  the  people,  and  of  high  promise. 
Some  blamed  Fremont,  but  he  was  unable  to  reinforce  him, 
as  General  Pillow  was  at  New  Madrid,  threatening  St.  Louis. 
The  spirit  of  the  Southern  clergy  at  this  time  was  far 
different  from  what  could  be  expected  from  the  professed 
heralds  of  the  "  Prince  of  Peace,"  some  of  them  going  to  the 
field,  others  making  the  pulpit  a  vehicle  to  convey  t!  eir 
misrepresentations  and  bitter  hatred  against  the  No  tn, 
The  Divine  Being  was  invoked  by  professing  Christ /rj 
of  the  same  denominations  to  aid  them  as  they  rushed  /a 
deadly  collision,  displaying  the  worst  of  human  passions 


CHAPTER  YIL 

SEPTEMBER,   1861. 

BT  THK  GOVERNMENT — CONFISCATION — EXCHANOK  OF  PRI8ONKHS 
—  DAVIS  USES  RETALIATION — MUTINY  QUELLED — PRIVATBKRI 
OF  IHR  REBELS — WOOL  AT  FORT  MONROE — FOOTE  TAKES  CHARGE  OF  OUR- 
BOATS  WEST — ATTACK  ON  CAPE  UATTERAS — FREMONT'S  PROCLAMATION 
— WESTERN  VIRGINIA — BATTLE  OF  CARNIFEX  FERRT — FALL  OF  LEXINGTON 
— FIGHT  AT  CHEAT  MOUNTAIN — LEE  DEFEATED  AT  ELKWATER — ARMY  OF 
THE  POTOMAC — THE  NATIONAL  FAST. 

THE  General  Government  was  slow  to  deprive  the  South 
of  the  mails,  even  when  different  States  left  the  Union. 
But  now,  when  the  public  offices  were  cleared  of  traitors,  the 
act  of  habeas  corpus  being  suspended,  men  in  every  part  of 
the  N"orth  were  arrested  and  imprisoned,  without  trial  or 
any  charges  brought  against  them.  The  military  power 
cast  the  civil  in  the  shade,  and  men  began  to  look  for 
parallels  in  history,  and  to  remember  the  Star  Chamber, 
and  letters  de  cachet.  This  course  of  the  Government  waa 
necessary  to  self-preservation,  as  many  traitors  lurked  about 
to  destroy  it.  Confiscation  of  the  property  of  rebels  01 
disaffected  persons  was  declared,  and  many  abuses  ceased. 

The  Government  regarded  the  Southern  States  as  in 
rebellion,  and  refused  to  treat  with  the  Confederacy  for  the 
exchange  of  prisoners.  To  grant  any  recognition,  it  was 
thought,  would  be  worse  than  leaving  brave  men  to  their 
fate.  The  privateer  Savannah  being  captured,  her  men 
were  put  in  prison  as  pirates,  and  as  such  threats  of  hanging 
were  made ;  Davis  retaliated,  imprisoned  man  for  man,  and 
threatened  to  hang  as  many  prisoners  as  the  Federals. 
This  course  was  not  found  the  best  in  the  end,  but  indigna- 
tion prevailed  that  the  Confederates  were  recognized  as 
belligerents  by  England. 

A  mutiny  in  the  Seventy-ninth  New  Ycrk  regiment  waa 
promptly  quelled  by  McClellan,  who  drew  up  bodies  of 
infantry  and  cavalry,  and  had  cannon  placed  in  position. 
This  put  an  end  to  similar  follies  in  future.  At  this  time 
news  came  of  the  depredations  of  the  pirates  Surnter  and 
Jeff  Davis  on  merchantmen ;  but  the  latter  was  soon  after 

(67) 


48  ATTACK   OX   CAPE   HATTERAS. 

wrecked  on  the  coast  of  Florida.  About  this  time  a  Igtat 
took  place  at  Surnmerville,  Western  Virginia,  and  also  in 
Missouri  there  were  terrible  combats  between  Union  and 
rebel  forces.  General  "Wool  took  the  command  at  Fortress 
Monroe,  and  Captain  Foote  that  of  the  western  naval  forces 
A  gunboat  fleet  was  soon  ready,  which  was  expected  ert 
long  to  clear  the  Mississippi. 

FIGHT  AT  CAPE  IIATTERAS. 

Two  forts — Ilatteras  and  Henry — had  been  manned,  under 
Captain  Barr,  late  of  the  United  States  navy,  with  six  hun- 
dred men.  Hatteras  was  evacuated  and  the  guns  spiked 
on  the  approach  of  the  naval  force,  commanded  by  Commo 
dore  Stringham  and  General  Butler,  consisting  of  the  flag 
ship  Min  lesota  and  four  vessels  and  transports,  with  nine 
hundred  men.  Three  hundred  and  fifteen  men  landed  witir 
a  twelve  pound  gun  and  howitzer.  Fort  Henry  being 
attacked,  the  rebels  surrendered,  with  twenty  five  pieces 
of  artillery,  a  thousand  stand  of  arms,  and  provisions  and 
stores  in  abundance.  This  success  was  magnified  into  a 
battle  and  victory. 

Had  the  expedition  at  this  conjuncture  proceeded  to 
Pamlico  and  Albemarle  sounds,  and  made  a  descent  on. 
North  Carolina — a  thing  not  then  very  difficult — much 
good  might  have  been  effected,  and  great  expenditure  saved. 
Meantime,  General  Fremont  proclaimed  martial  law  through- 
out Missouri,  and  declared  that  under  the  confiscation  law 
the  slaves  were  free.  The  President  caused  Fremont  to 
modify  this  proclamation,  for  it  was  feared  that  the  Union 
cause  would  be  injured  by  it  in  the  border  States.  The 
Mississippi  valley  was  now  about  to  become  the  scene  of 
conflict,  and  the  soil  of  Kentucky  would  soon  be  battle 
ground.  Governor  Magoffin  had  desired  the  President  to 
withdraw  the  Union  forces  from  Kentucky,  arnd  soon  after 
the  rebel  General  Polk  occupied  Columbus.  The  rebels 
determined  to  hold  Kentucky,  though  it  had  voted  for  tho 
Union. 

General  William  S.  Rosecrans,  the  worthy  successor  of 
McClellan  in  Western  Virginia,  moved  on  the  strong 
position  of  Floyd,  at  Carnifex  ferry,  with  the  intention  of 
fighting  him.  After  considerable  marching,  he  reached  tht 
enemy,  and  advanced  to  his  defences. 


BATTLE  OF  CARNIFEX  FERRY 

Rosecrans  had  reached  the  enemy,  but,  ignorant  of  his 
fortifications,  "sent  General  Benham  with  his  brigade  to 
make  a  recormoissance.  While  watching  the  artillery  as  it 
rambled  up  the  hill,  Rosecrans  heard  a  deep  roll  of  musketry 
from  the  woods,  just  in  front  of  the  direction  which  the 
brigade  of  Benharn's  had  taken.  The  steady  and  quick 
vollies  of  the  men,  proved  they  had  not,  as  he  feared,  fallen 
into  an  ambuscade,  but  were  nobly  battling.  Rosecrans 
ordered  up  Colonel  Lowe  with  the  Twelfth  Ohio,  while  the 
artillery  awakened  the  echoes  of  the  mountains.  Advanc- 
ing on  the  run,  tKe  regiment  and  artillery  toiled  up  the 
steep,  when  Rosecrans,  spurring  at  full  speed  amid  a  shower 
of  leaden  hail,  dashed  through  the  woods,  and  up  to  the 
fort:fi cations.  General  McCook's  German  brigade  waa 
ordered  up  to  charge  the  fortifications,  and  wild  joy  filled  the 
hearts  of  the  warriors,  while  the  air  was  ixjnt  with  tumultu- 
ous exultations.  The  night,  however,  was  falling,  and  the 
order  was  countermanded,  while  some  of  the  troops  on  the 
left  had  charged  up  to  the  defences,  and  they  were  recalled 
by  the  bugle.  The  battle  lasted  four  hours,  and  the  troops 
fell  back  in  darkness,  and  lay  on  their  arms  some  hundreds 
of  yards  from  the  enemy.  Floyd  fled  during  the  night,  and 
was  glad,  in  getting  away  from  the  attack  in  front  and  flank, 
to  leave  his  ammunition  and  stores  behind.  He  placed  the 
Gauley  river  between  him  and  the  Federals,  burning  the 
ferry-boat.  Colonel  Lowe,  and  one  hundred  and  twenty  of 
the  Federal  forces,  were  killed  and  wounded. 

After  the  battle  of  Wilson's  Creek,  Laune  and  Mont 
gomery  were  driven  out  of  Missouri  by  Price,  who  wen^ 
against  a  Federal  force  which  he  heard  was  at  Warrenburg.  Ii 
fled  on  his  approach,  and  he  advanced  on  Lexington  with 
an  army  of  thirty  thousand  troops.  Colonel  James  Mulli- 
gan, on  the  first  of  September,  was  ordered  to  lead  his  Irish 
brigade  one  hundred  and  sixty  miles  up  the  river,  and 
reinforce  Lexington,  which  place  he  reached  on  the  9th, 
with  three  thousand  troops. 

Mulligan  took  up  a  position  between  the  towns  of  Old  and 
Kew  Lexington,  and  had  not  completed  his  breastworks  and 
ditches  before  the  arrival  of  the  enemy  obliged  him  to  desist 
The  headquarters  were  a  large  brick  collegiate  building 
about  half  a  mile  from  the  rivjr.  An  assault  was  made  bj 


70  FALL  or 

General  Rains  in  person,  with  nine  pieces  of  artillery,  but 
he  was  gallantly  repulsed  with  such  heavy  loss  that  Price 
was  compelled  to  change  his  tactics.  Jn  consequence 
he  rolled  hempen  bales,  saturated  with  water,  to  the  breast- 
works, to  protect  his  batteries.  Mulligan  burnt  the  old 
town,  and  sent  to  Jefferson  City  for  reinforcements.  The 
messengers  were  captured,  as  were  others  on  a  different 
route.  Four  batteries,  of  thirteen  pieces,  made  a  terrible 
assault,  while  sharpshooters  rained  a  shower  of  balls  from 
every  tree.  The  rebels,  notwithstanding  the  six  pieces 
used  by  Mulligan,  gained  a  large  brick  house  near  the  river 
and  opened  a  galling  fire,  but  a  platoon  of  Federals  cleared 
them  out  with  the  bayonet,  and  now  night  fell  on  the 
combatants. 

Price  receiving  ammunition  on  the  18th,  occupied  the 
brick  house,  took  possession  of  the  river  boats,  and  seized 
and  fortified  the  heights  during  continued  fighting.  The 
garrison,  now  shut  out  from  the  river,  endured  much  from 
thirst ;  the  beasts  were  suffering  from  the  same  cause,  and 
the  enemy  rolled  down  a  great  number  of  hempen  bales  on 
the  breastworks.  A  sheet  of  flame  ran  along  the  pile  of 
bales,  and  the  numerous  sallies  of  the  brave  garrison  could 
not  ward  off  the  coming  doom.  Retiring  to  the  inner  works, 
the  home  guards  would  fight  no  longer.  The  place  was 
intolerable  from  the  stench  of  dead  horses.  No  reinforce- 
ments came,  and  the  brave  Mulligan  reluctantly  surrendered 
two  thousand  six  hundred  men  and  five  hundred  of  the 
home  guard  to  the  enemy.  Thus  fell  one  of  the  most 
important  posts  in  the  State. 

The  public  now  uttered  loud  complaints  against  Fremont, 
who  declared  that  he  had  sent  reinforcements  which  were 
not  received.  His  enemies  charged  him  with  fraud  in 
arms  and  supplies  for  the  Government,  with  incapacity  and 
mismanagement,  and  never  ceased  till  they  obtained  his 
removal  from  the  command. 

The  Legislature  of  Kentucky  called  on  the  rebels  to  leave 
the  State,  and  this  Polk  promised  on  condition  that  the 
Federals  would  do  the  same.  This  condition  met  with  no 
favor,  Grant  occupied  Paducah,  but  more  rebels  flocked  into 
the  State  under  A.  S.  Johnson.  Floyd  could  not  cope  with 
Rosecrans  in  Western  Virginia,  and  Wise  and  he  gave  place 
to  General  Robert  E.  Lee,  whi  with  nine  thousand  men 


FIGHT  AT  CHEAT   MOUNTAIN.  71 

«lvanced  against  General  Reynolds,  who  held  position  on 
Cheat  Mountain. 

One  column  advanced  by  the  Staunton  turnpike,  and  the 
other  by  the  Huntersville  road  to  Elkwater.  Lee  tried  to  get 
possession  of  the  path  behind  and  to  the  rear  of  Elkwater, 
but  four  companies  of  Indiana  troops  checked  an  advance 
which  might  have  been  perilous  to  Reynolds.  When  night 
fell,  the  communication  between  our  two  posts  was  cut  off 
completely.  A  mountain  bridle-path  separated  them  at  a 
distance  of  seven  miles.  Three  hundred  men  on  the 
mountain-top  were  cut  off.  Colonel  Sullivan,  with  the 
Thirteenth  Indiana,  was  sent  along  the  main  road.  Part 
of  two  Virginia  and  Ohio  regiments  went  by  the  bridle- 
path. They  were  to  make  an  attack  at  once,  and  reach  the 
men  on  the  summit,  who,  ignorant  of  the  movement,  deter- 
mined to  force  their  way  to  the  main  body.  They  soon  en- 
countered the  enemy,  and  opened  such  an  effectual  fire,  as 
strewed  the  place  with  dead,  and  drove  him  off  in  dismay, 
leaving  a  large  quantity  of  guns  and  clothing  behind.  The 
two  columns  arrived  when  the  engagement  was  over,  and 
the  mountains  echoed  with  loud  hurrahs,  which  greeted 
their  approach.  The  provision  train  on  the  summit  was 
secured,  and  communication  lay  open.  Lee  now  advanced 
on  Elkwater,  and  kept  at  a  respectful  distance  from  Rey- 
nolds' artillery.  He  fell  back  further  on  hearing  of  the 
mountain  fight,  and  having  attacked  both  positions  next  day, 
he  was  driven  back  with  great  loss,  and  then  retreated  ten 
miles.  The  Federals  lost  nine  killed,  the  enemy  one  hun- 
dred. Colonel  John  Washington,  of  Mount  Yernon,  was 
among  the  rebel  slain.  The  rebels  never  succeeded  in 
Western  Virginia,  where  victory  always  fell  to  the  Federals, 
and  defeat  to  their  enemies. 

The  monotony  of  camp  life  in  the  Army  of  the  Potomac, 
was  occasionally  varied  with  the  exhilarating  exercise  of 
skirmishing  with  the  enemy.  Life  and  spirit  was  infused 
nto  our  troops,  and  the  lines  extended  to  Lewinsville  on 
the  right,  and  in  front,  took  in  Munson's  hill :  our  troopa 
at  the  latter  place  fired  into  each  other.  Had  it  not  been 
for  a  knowledge  of  this  movement,  betrayed  to  the  enemy 
by  parties  unknown,  ten  thousand  of  the  rebels  would  have 
been  captured.  The  rebels  were  informed  of  every  move- 
ment. Nothing  transpired  that  was  not  made  known  kr 


72  THE  NATIONAL   FAST. 

them,  but  how  or  by  whom  will  probably  never  be  ascfcf 
tained. 

The  army  remained  inactive  in  front  of  "Washington; 
whether  to  submit  the  soldiers  to  the  necessary  discipline 
before  an  advance,  or  to  protect  the  capital,  which  was  now 
Burrounded  with  forts  thirty-two  in  number,  was  not  dis- 
covered by  the  commander,  who  now  had  an  army  every 
day  improving,  and  augmenting  by  troops  fully  equipped, 
which  crowded  railway  cars,  poured  in  from  all  parts  of  the 
North  and  West.  This  immense  army  extended  from 
Alexandria  to  the  Potomac,  some  fifteen  miles  above  the 
capital,  while  drill  and  discipline  were  going  on  with  great 
diligence. 

The  end  of  the  month  was  marked  by  fasting  and  humilia- 
tion, in  which,  it  is  to  be  hoped,  the  nation  humbled  itself 
before  the  Creator.  Trust  in  artillery  and  an  armed  host 
was  found  to  be  nothing  without  the  Divine  blessing.  The 
nelp  of  the  Lord  of  Hosts  was  humbly  invoked  to  aid  our 
preparations,  and  all  classes  looked  up  to  the  Almighty 
arbiter  of  events  for  a  prosperous  issue  to  the  great  contest 
now  about  to  be  waged,  when  it  was  hoped  our  honored 
flag  would  once  more  float  in  triumph  over  a  happy  lanu, 
and  misguided  citizens  return  to  their  duty  and  allegiance. 


CHAPTER  VUL 

OCTOBER,   186J 

n»  OBBAT  ARMIXS — 1'ENSAOOLA — PRIVATEER  CAPTURED — SHIP  I8LAJTB 
CCCUPIKD-— WESTERN  VIROINIA — OREEN  BRIAR  CREEK  FIGHT — TH1 
ENKMY'S  ATTACK  AT  ?ORT  HATTERAS — SANTA  ROSA  ISLAND,  SURPRISS 
OF  WILSON'S  ZOUAVKS — REBEL  RAM  MANASSAS  ATTACKS  B/.OCKADINS 
FLEET  AT  MOUTH  OF  MISSISSIPPI — FIGHTS  AT  LEBANON,  MISSOURI — AT 
FREDERICKTOWN — AT  BLUE  MILLS  FERRY — BATTLE  OF  WILD  CAT  CAMP — 
UPPER  POTOMAC — FIGHT  AT  BOLIVAR — BATTLE  OF  BALL'S  BLUFF — GEN- 
KRAL  STONE — PEOPLE  INDIGNANT — MCCLELLAN — COLONEL  LANDER — • 
CHARGE  OF  ZAGONTI. 

Two  mighty  armies  now  confronted  each  other,  and  ex- 
pectation arose  to  a  high  pitch  on  both  sides.  The  North 
hoped  that  disgrace  would  yield  to  victory,  and  the  Con- 
federate flag  to  the  "  stars  and  stripes."  Beyond  the  Mis- 
sissippi, the  defences  were  subject  to  no  regular  rule,  but 
east  of  it  the  rebel  fortifications  ran  on,  with  a  single  inter- 
ruption, between  the  Blue  Eidge  and  Alleghanies  to  the 
wids  expanse  of  the  Atlantic.  The  line  extended  from 
Columbus,  across  the  Tennessee  and  Cumberland  rivers  to 
Bowling  Green,  and  from  that  to  the  Alleghanies ;  from 
thence  to  the  Blue  Ridge,  there  was  a  space  in  which  there 
were  no  rebel  works,  after  which,  on  a  line  with  the  Poto- 
mac, the  fortifications  ran  on  to  Fortress  Monroe.  The  three 
hundred  thousand  men  which,  for  a  thousand  miles,  had 
their  well  chosen  stations,  in  all  the  panoply  of  war,  along 
this  line,  had  for  foernen  half  a  million  Northern  troops,  pro- 
paring  to  contend  with  them  in  deadly  battle  strife. 

The  combatants  were  not  ill  matched,  for  the  defenders 
of  intrenchments  can  cope  with  a  larger  number  of  assailants, 
and  the  rebels  had  the  advantage,  in  a  high  degree,  of  rail- 
way concentration.  The  rebel  fortifications  were  now  of 
the  most  formidable  character  ;  Beau  regard  spared  no  labor 
and  skill  to  make  them  almost  impregnable. 

Public  attention  was  now  drawn  to  the  expected  battle  at 
Fort  Pickens,  in  Florida,  and  many  patriots  distrusted  the 
abilitv  of  the  administration  to  carry  affairs  on  to  a  pros- 
perous termination.     An  excited,  angry,  and  feverish  onndi 
1  (73) 


f4  FEDERAL   SUCCESSES. 

tion  characterized  the  people,  and  the  main  stay  of  the  nation, 
at  this  dangerous  crisis,  was  their  implicit  confidence  in  the 
patriotism  and  sincerity  of  the  President,  who  was  widely 
known  as  "Honest  Old  Abe" 

The  news  that  the  privateer  Judah,  off  Pensacola  bay, 
was  destroyed  by  a  boat  expedition  on  the  18th  of  Septem- 
ber, afforded  some  consolation.  A  hundred  men,  sailors 
and  marines,  were  made  ready,  and  while  two  boats  attacked 
the  privateer,  the  third  was  to  send  out  her  men  to  spike  a 
shore  battery.  The  design  was  carried  out  at  half-past  three 
in  the  morning,  with  complete  success,  and  was  one  of  those 
brilliant  actions  which  have  made  the  Federal  navy  re- 
nowned. Only  three  men  were  killed  and  twelve  wounded. 
Lieutenants  Russell,  Blake,  and  Sproston  were  highly 
praised  for  their  gallantry  and  skill. 

News  came,  at  the  same  time,  of  the  capture  of  Ship 
Is!and.  and  favorable  accounts  arrived  that  General  Rey- 
nolds, in  Western  Virginia,  on  the  2d  of  October,  had 
left  his  camp  at  Elkwater  to  reconnoitre  Lee's  position  on 
Green  Briar  creek. 

With  five  thousand  men  and  a  large  artillery  force 
General  Reynolds  left  Cheat  mountain,  sent  Colonel  Kim- 
ball,  with  the  Fourteenth  Indiana,  to  attack  the  enemy's 
front  and  right,  and  drive  back  his  advance  at  the  same 
time  that  Milroy  would  drive  in  the  pickets,  deploy  to  the 
left,  and  force  the  enemy  into  his  intrcnchments.  Milroy 
found  Green  Briar  bridge  in  rebel  possession,  and  the 
Indiana  troops,  without  orders,  rushed  on  and  cleared  it  with 
enthusiastic  shouts.  The  enemy,  driven  into  his  fortifications, 
and  shelled  with  thirteen  guns,  replied,  and  the  hills  shook 
with  the  echoes,  till  three  rebel  guns  were  disabled,  and,  in 
the  slackening  fire  which  ensued,  their  signal  rockets  called 
for  reinforcements.  Thousands,  with  artillery,  answered  the 
signal,  and  Reynolds,  restraining  his  men,  who  wanted  to 
take  the  works  by  storm,  having  gained  his  point  sounded 
the  recall,  and  returned  to  his  camp  with  thirteen  prisoners. 
The  Federals  lost  eight  killed  and  thirty-two  wounded. 

An  action  took  place  about  this  time  in  North  Carolina 
The  landiig  of  fifteen  hundred  men  four  miles  above  him 
being  known  to  Colonel  Brown,  of  the  Twentieth  Indiana 
regiment,  encamped  Airty  miles  from  Fort  Ilatteras,  he  sent 
to  inform  Colonel  Hwkias  at  the  fort,  and  of  his  intention 


SURPRISE   OF  WILSON'S  ZOUAVES.  75 

of  falling  back  there.  More  rebel  troops  landed  to  cut 
him  off,  when  he  fired  every  thing  that  could  not  be  carried 
away,  and  with  a  forced  march  reached  the  light-house. 
Colonel  Hawkins  sent  six  companies  of  Zouaves  to  reinforce 
Brown,  and  ordered  Captain  Lardner  of  the  Susquehanna  to 
his  aid.  The  Susquehanna  was  soon  ready,  and  the  Monti- 
cello  was  ordered  to  double  Cape  Hatteras  and  go  along  the 
shore.  She  soon  saw  the  enemy  pursuing,  and  the  masts  of 
rebel  vessels  came  distinctly  to  view.  On  this  they  were 
shelled  by  Lieutenant  Braine  and  scattered,  the  shells 
making  them  flee  in  terror.  The  vessels  were  then  shelled, 
and  many  rebels  jumped  into  the  water,  while  some  of  the 
boats,  with  their  freight,  went  to  the  bottom.  On  the  night 
of  October  9th,  a  Confederate  force  of  about  two  thousand 
m&de  an  attack  on  Santa  Rosa  island,  Florida,  on  which 
Fort  Pickens  is  situated,  and  surprised  the  camp  of  Wilson'a 
Zouaves,  a  mile  from  the  fort ;  purposing,  if  successful,  to 
carry  the  fort.  The  darkness  favored  them,  and  the  regi- 
ment was  rudely  awakened  from  its  slumbers  in  confusion, 
while  the  shouts  and  musketry  of  the  enemy  rendered  it 
difficult  for  them  to  form  in  order,  and  the  whole  camp  was 
blazing  from  the  fire  of  the  rebel  torch.  The  Zouaves  fled 
to  the  batteries,  a  little  way  off,  for  protection.  Meanwhile, 
the  shots  being  heard  at  Fort  Pickens,  the  long  roll  beat, 
and  Major  Vogdes  sent  out  two  companies  in  the  direction 
of  the  firing,  and  manned  the  guns  on  the  rampart.  A  staff 
officer  sent  by  Colonel  Brown  to  Major  Yogdes  was  cap- 
tured, and  Major  Arnold  was  sent  to  take  the  command. 
Before  his  arrival  the  enemy  retired  from  the  destructive 
fire  opened  upon  them  by  Captain  Hildt,  of  the  regular 
army.  Colonel  Wilson  now  rallied  his  regiment,  and  with 
other  companies,  now  arrived  from  the  fort,  pursued  the 
flying  enemy  three  miles  to  thoir  boats,  drove  some  into  the 
water,  and  sent  deadly  volleys  into  the  boats,  which  killed 
them  by  scores.  Federal  loss  sixty. 

On  the  night  of  the  llth,  Captain  Hollins,  of  the  rcbeJE 
naval  force  at  New  Orleans,  by  means  of  an  iron-clad  vessel 
with  a  terrible  iron  prow,  called  the  ram  Manassas  and  two 
small  steamers,  attempted  the  destruction  of  the  blockading 
fleet  at  the  mouth  of  the  Mississippi.  Night  favored  the 
design,  and  dashing  suddenly  down,  the  formidable  ram 
struck  the  Richmond  and  foil  ~ed  the  vessel  from  hei  moor 


76  REBEL   RAM   MANASSAS. 

ings  with  a  terrible  crash,  and,  backing,  struck  at  he*  sten\ 
ripping  off  the  planks.  A  broadside  from  the  Richmond 
was  poured  in  with  a  will  by  her  undaunted  crew,  as  the 
ram  ran  alongside ;  and  as  one  of  his  engines  gave  out, 
Captain  Hollins,  attempting  to  get  off,  threw  up  a  rocket 
The  signal  was  answered,  and  the  bright  flame  which  lighted 
np  the  river  revealed  a  number  of  ships  descending  to 
destroy  the  Federal  fleet.  While  the  Richmond  and  Preble 
dropped  down  the  pass,  the  Water  Witch  and  Viucennes 
remained ;  and  as  the  fire  ships  bore  steadily  down,  the  Vin- 
cennes,  fearing  lest  she  should  be  struck  in  the  position  in 
which  she  was,  determined  to  drop  down  and  leave  the  Water 
Witch,  of  quicker  and  lighter  build,  to  lead  the  way  and 
report  on  the  condition  of  affairs.  As  several  gunboats 
were  coming  down,  the  Water  Witch  was  sent  to  convey  the 
tidings,  when  she  saw  that  the  Vincennes  had  grounded  on 
the  bar,  and  that  the  Richmond  also  was  aground,  which 
caused  great  consternation  in  the  Union  fleet.  Fortunately, 
as  bdth  the  vessels  seemed  doomed  to  destruction,  the  Rich- 
mond swung  about  her  broadside  toward  the  stream,  so  that 
her  guns  could  be  made  use  of  advantageously.  Her  quick 
and  well-directed  fire,  brought  to  bear  on  the  enemy,  made 
it  prudent  for  him  to  get  away  as  quickly  as  possible,  and 
he  returned  to  New  Orleans.  The  braggadocia  of  Hollins 
made  him  a  hero  ;  the  city  was  wild  with  joy ;  illuminations 
to  him  declared  the  enthusiasm  of  the  people,  as  their  hopes 
saw  an  early  opening  of  the  Mississippi.  Rebel  accounts 
were  received  in  the  North  before  the  true  account  was  had, 
and  the  blockading  fleet  was  considered  in  a  perilous  situa- 
tion. The  true  state  of  things  was  soon  known ;  Hollins 
was  laughed  at,  and  dwindled  down  from  a  hero  to  his 
native  insignificance. 

The  Federal  aflairs,  in  the  meantime,  were  prospering  in 
Missouri,  and  the  troops  under  Fremont  were  successful  in 
various  minor  encounters.  On  the  13th,  two  companies 
of  cavaliy  under  Major  Wright,  charging  with  gallantry  a 
rebel  fcrce  of  three  hundred,  near  Lebanon,  drove  them 
from  the  Geld  with  a  loss  of  sixty  killed  and  wounded,  and 
thirty-?ix  captured.  Captains  Switzler  and  Montgomery 
gathered  unfading  laurels  in  this  brilliant  affair ;  Montgomery 
discharged  all  the  barrels  of  his  revolver,  and  then  assailing 
ft  rebel  with  hia  f  st  quickly  unhorsed  him.  A  few  d&yj 


UAttLE   OF  BLUE   MILLS   FERRt.  71 

after,  the  latter  a;tacked  Linn  creek,  taking  twenty  five  rebel 
prisoners,  and  the  ensuing  day,  Lexington,  with  seventy 
prisoners,  fell  into  the  possession  of  the  patriots.  Ironton 
and  Pilot  Knob  were  now  threatened  by  the  rebels,  who 
were  advancing  under  Jeff.  Thompson  and  Colonel  Lowe.  A 
severe  skirmish  with  these  forces  and  some  troops  under 
Colonel  Carlin  had  taken  place,  when  Colonels  Carlin,  Boss, 
and  Baker,  with  two  thousand  troops,  reached  Frederick- 
town,  which  the  enemy  had  very  recently  evacuated,  and 
advancing  a  mile,  came  up  to  and  attacked  his  lines.  Grape 
atd  canister  met  their  onset,  but  the  undaunted  soldiera 
pressed  forward,  and  in  an  action  of  two  hours'  duration,  the 
enemy,  heavily  punished,  broke  and  fled  in  wild  dismay, 
with  the  loss  of  Colonel  Lowe  and  one  hundred  and  fifty 
killed,  and  sixty-four  prisoners.  Federal  loss  in  killed  and 
wounded,  sixty.  The  ground  was  strewed  with  arms,  equip- 
ments, and  clothing,  and  the  pursuit  was  continued  to 
Greenville,  and  on  the  next  day  for  twenty-two  miles,  but 
the  enemy  proved  superior  in  flight,  and  escaped. 

Some  days  before,  the  enemy,  four  thousand  in  number, 
were  attacked  at  Blue  Mills  Ferry,  near  Liberty,  by  Lieu- 
tenant-colonel Scott,  with  the  Third  Iowa  regiment  of  five 
hundred  men.  With  these,  Colonel  Smith,  with  the  Six- 
teenth Illinois  and, part  of  the  Thirty-ninth  Ohio,  was  to 
form  a  junction.  Scott,  having  waited  some  time,  and  while 
heavy  rains  detained  Smith,  determined  to  advance,  and 
fought  the  enemy  one  hour,  when  he  was  obliged  to  retreat 
to  Liberty,  where  he  was  found  by  the  cavalry  sent  after 
him  by  Smith.  The  combined  forces  now  moved  on  the 
enemy,  but  at  Blue  Mills  it  was  found  that  he  had  crossed 
the  river,  and  was  beyond  pursuit.  The  enemy's  loss 
was  unknown,  that  of  the  Federals  was  ninety  killed  and 
wounded. 

The  Federal  arms  in  Kentucky  were  now  prosperous, 
and  the  command  of  the  department  by  the  heroic  Ander- 
son, and  subsequently  by  General  Crittenden,  neutralized 
the  influence  of  Buckner's  proclamation. 

A  struggle  of  great  severity  was  now  about  to  take  place 
Colonel  Coburn,  on  the  16th  of  October,  1861,  was  ordered 
to  occupy  Camp  Wild  Cat  with  three  hundred  and  fifty  rien, 
End  had  hardly  reached  his  position,  when  a  hidden  firo 
poured  on  his  ixen,  and  &  large  rebel  force  soon  made  its 


78  AFFAIRS  ON  THE  UPPER  POTOMAC. 

appearance.  Colonel  Wood  met  their  advance  with  two 
hundred  and  fifty  loyal  Kentucky  cavalrymen,  whom  ha 
formed  under  fire,  when  quickly,  two  Tennessee  rebel  regi- 
ments rushed  from  the  woods  and  in  four  columns  charged 
the  position  on  two  sides  with  a  heavy  fire.  They  advanced, 
under  a  fierce  fire,  within  twenty-five  yards  of  the  works 
and  the  Kentucky  troops  for  a  moment  faltered,  but  recov- 
ering, the  contest  was  fierce  and  bloody,  though  brief  and 
the  baffled  enemy  were  forced  to  retire.  Another  attempt 
on  Camp  Wild  Cat  was  frustrated  by  the  bravery  of  the 
Seventeenth  Ohio  regiment  and  two  companies  of  the 
Fourteenth  Ohio.  The  enemy  retired  with  heavy  loss ; 
the  Federal  loss  was  but  twenty-three  killed  and  wounded. 
This  battle,  besides  answering  the  purpose  for  which  it  waa 
fought,  greatly  animated  the  loyal  people  of  the  State. 

At  this  time  the  enemy's  left  on  the  Potomac  was  near 
Leesburg,  and  General  Banks  ordered  General  Stone  to  keep 
watch  on  the  rebel  troops,  and  prevent  their  crossing  the  river 
at  that  point.  Great  care  was  needed  to  keep  the  rebels  out 
of  Maryland,  and  several  unimportant  actions  had  lately  taken 
place.  A  brisk  action  took  place  at  Bolivar,  a  village  two 
miles  from  the  Potomac,  October  16th.  Major  Gould  had  gone 
across  the  river  at  Harper's  Ferry,  to  get  some  wheat  which 
the  enemy  held  there,  and  having  attained  his  end,  was  re- 
crossing,  when  Bolivar  Heights  swarmed  with  rebels,  whoso 
cannon,  in  position,  commanded  the  Union  camp.  Another 
body  threatened  the  ferry  from  Loudon  Heights.  The 
Thirteenth  Massachusetts  regiment,  under  Captain  Schriber, 
repulsed  a  fierce  charge  made  by  rebel  cavalry,  at  the 
upper  portion  of  the  town,  and,  having  driven  them  back 
three  times,  occupied  it,  and  from  every  shelter  poured 
showers  of  bullets  upon  the  enemy,  who  gained  no  advan- 
tage. Reinforcements  were  called  up  by  Colonel  Geary,  and 
Lieutenant  Martin  dashed  through  a  scathing  fire,  and  hav- 
ing unlimbered  his  pieces  in  the  streets,  cannonaded  the 
heights.  As  the  Federal  troops  advanced,  the  order  rang 
out  to  "  fix  bayonets,"  and  the  brave  men  at  the  ordei 
"  charge,"  rushed  along  the  heights  with  wild  shouts ;  while 
the  artillery  prevented  the  enemy  from  rallying,  and  dis- 
mounted their  guns.  The  fight  had  lasted  five  hours,  and 
this  heroic  band  of  two  hundred  and  fifty  rested  till  mid 
night,  and  reached  and  crossed  the  river  without  annoyance 


BATTLE  of  BALL'S  BUJFF.  T$ 

The  enemy  lost  a  hundred  in  tliis  action,  the  Federal  1  jss,  wai 
but  thirteen.  On  the  20th  of  October,  Eomney,  situated 
amid  an  amphitheatre  of  hills,  was  taken  by  General  Kelly. 

BATTLE  OF  BAIL'S  BLUFF. 

To  ascertain  what  troops  of  the  enemy  were  in  the  neigh- 
orhood,  and  how  situated,  Colonel  Devens,  of  the  Sixteenth 
Massachusetts  regiment,  crossed  the  Potomac  on  the  20th, 
&t  midnight,  to  make  a  reconnoissance.  He  left  Harrison's 
island  with  three  hundred  men,  with  the  intention  of  captur- 
ing a  rebel  camp,  and  waiting  until  more  troops  crossed. 
Three  boats,  in  a  miserable  condition,  took  four  hours  in 
crossing.  Having  crossed,  the  high  bluff  could  not  be 
reached,  but  a  bridle  path  gave  the  troops  a  means  of  ascent, 
and  they  marched  in  the  deepest  silence,  and,  at  the  top 
of  the  bluff,  awaited  day-dawn.  Should  the  event  prove  un- 
fortunate, the  brave  troops  saw  at  a  glance,  that  death  or 
capture  must  be  the  result.  A  hundred  men,  under  Colonel 
Lee,  of  the  Twentieth  Massachusetts,  joined  the  little  band 
at  daylight,  and  an  advance  was  made  on  Leesburg.  No 
enemy  was  in  view,  and  a  large  scow,  capable  of  containing 
sixty  men,  having  been  added  to  the  transportation,  deter- 
mined the  commander  to  wait  for  reinforcements,  instead  of 
returning  to  report.  A  brisk  action  between  Captain  Phil- 
brick  and  a  company  of  riflemen  ensued,  when  a  body  of  cav- 
alry appeared,  and  Colonel  Devens  then  retired  to  the  woods, 
in  which  the  main  body  were  laying.  Not  being  attacked, 
he,  in  half  an  hour,  joined  Colonel  Lee  on  the  blufl£  and  now 
receiving  orders  to  await  reinforcements,  he  was  rejoined  by 
his  regiment,  six  hundred  and  twenty-five  strong.  The 
enemy  was  in  force  on  his  left,  and  the  attack  began  at  noon. 
The  men  maintained  their  position,  but  the  enemy  making 
great  efforts  to  outflank  him,  Colonel  Devens  retired  to 
where  the  woods  left  an  open  space,  and  the  skirmisher? 
were  recalled.  Not  being  followed  up  by  the  enemy,  he  fell 
back  to  the  bluffs,  and  found  reinforcements,  and  Colonel 
Baker  in  command,  by  General  Stone's  orders.  It  was  an 
unwise  plan  to  send  more  reinforcements,  with  such  poor 
facilities  for  transportation  as  the  bad  boats  and  miserable 
scow  afforded,  and  why  it  was  done  was  a  mystery. 

Colonel  Baker  now  advanced  ;  on  the  right  the  Fifteenth 
Massachusetts  and  pan  of  the  Tammany  regiment ;  the  left 


80  t>]fiATfl.  Of  COLONEL  BAKEfc. 

and  centre  were  held  by  the  Twentieth  Massachusetts 
while,  also  in  the  centre,  marched  the  California  battalion. 
On  the  front  were  the  three  guns,  the  six  pounder  in  the 
centre,  and  the  howitzers  on  the  wings.  The  enemy  ad 
vanced  with  dreadful  yells,  and  made  the  chief  attack  on  the 
left  and  centre.  They  had  superior  numbers,  but  the  guns 
made  the  contest  not  unequal.  The  enemy  opened  a  deadly 
fire  at  the  gunners.  Soon,  of  those  who  served  the  six 
pounder  not  one  was  found,  and  the  lanyard  and  pouch 
being  lost,  the  gun  was  of  no  use.  The  articles  were  found, 
however,  but  blood-stained,  and  the  gun  was  put  in  position 
by  Baker,  Coggswell,  Lee,  and  Bramhall,  men  called  from 
the  infantry,  and  the  gun  again  shelled  the  enemy.  A  fierce 
contest  now  raged,  and  grew  yet  more  and  more  violent, 
and  Bramhall  had  but  a  single  man  to  help  him  at  the  gun, 
and  he  did  his  duty  well.  The  artillery,  however,  was  not 
effective,  and  the  enemy,  meanwhile,  redoubled  their  efforts, 
but  were  met  at  every  point  by  the  gallant  troops,  who 
battled  well  in  hopes  of  promised  succor.  General  German 
had  crossed  a  few  miles  lower  down  with  a  part  of  his  brig- 
ade, and  General  Stone's  adjutant  promised  that  the  gen- 
eral would  soon  be  present  to  aid.  But  he  came  not,  and 
the  brave  Colonel  Baker,  in  this  crisis,  fell  at  the  head  ol 
his  troops,  which  cast  success  into  the  opposing  scale. 

Colonel  Lee,  on  whom  the  command  seemed  to  devolve, 
decided  on  a  retreat,  but  Colonel  Coggswell  galloping  up, 
being  senior  colonel,  assumed  it,  and  changed  the  line  of 
battle,  with  the  resolve  to  cut  his  way  through  the  enemy  to 
Edward's  Ferry,  some  distance  below.  A  rebel  officer,  on  a 
white  horse,  now  rode  up  to  the  Tammany  regiment,  and 
pointing  to  the  woods,  gave  the  order  " charge"  The  regi- 
ment, and  the  Fifteenth  Massachusetts  rushed  forward,  be- 
lieving the  order  from  their  own  officers.  A  destructive 
volley  met  them,  and  they  were  driven  back  in  disorder, 
which  was  now  too  late  to  correct,  while  the  exultant  enemy 
pressed  on  with  shouts.  The  troops  now  fell  back  to  the 
bluff.  The  foe  could  not  be  beaten  back,  and  they  made  a 
furious  attack  on  the  brave  men,  unable  to  fight  or  retire. 
One  scow — the  only  one — laden  with  the  wounded  and  those 
who  were  escaping,  was  crowded  in  the  river,  pelted  by  the 
thick  shower  of  balls  which  the  enemy  shot  after  her.  The 
motion  of  these,  who  tried  to  shun  the  hullets,  capsized  her 
and  with  her  unhappy  freight  she  saik  to  the  bottom. 


GENERAL   STONE   RELIEVED   OF   COMMAND.  SI 

The  river  rolled  on  in  sullen  grandeur.  Its  rapid  stream 
and  precipitous  banks  were  witnesses  of  a  fearful  scene. 
Groans,  cries,  and  shrieks  rent  the  air,  as  some  cast  them- 
selves down  into  the  swift  current,  while  the  yells  of  the 
savage  foe  fell  on  ears  that  soon  were  closed  forever ;  and 
the  bank  was  red  with  the  blood  of  the  slaughtered  heroes, 

And  yet  this  glorious  band,  with  a  bravery  not  surpassed 
in  ancient  story,  stood  firm  to  the  last,  and  no  white  flag  told 
of  surrender  to  the  foe.  Their  lofty  souls  never  stooped  tc 
ask  quarter,  and  they  exhibited  there,  deeds  of  self-sacrific- 
ing devotion,  such  as  shed  lustre  on  the  cause  for  which 
they  died.  Officers  commanded  men  to  escape,  and  the  men, 
in  many  an  instance,  only  thought  of  the  safety  of  their 
officers. 

Colonel  Dcvens  ordered  his  men  to  cast  their  muskets  into 
the  river,  and  escape.  About  eighty,  who  could  not  swim, 
were  led  by  Captain  Bartlett  up  the  river.  They  found  a 
sunken  boat,  which  could  convey  five  at  a  time,  and  Cap- 
tains Bartlett  and  Tremlett,  and  Lieutenant  Abbott  waited 
until  all  were  over,  and  then  crossed  over  themselves. 
Many  who  swam  were  shot  in  the  head  and  perished.  Sol- 
diers would  not  leave  the  side  of  their  wounded  officers,  but 
swam  slowly  to  save  them.  The  fugitives  made  for  Harri- 
son's island.  The  Potomac,  here,  was  red  with  the  blood  of 
the  Union  slain,  for  the  rebels  fired  incessantly. 

The  bloody  tragedy  was  ended.  The  sullen  stream  bore 
lifeless  bodies  of  brave  men,  among  whom  were  some  of  the 
noblest  hearts  of  the  nation,  down  over  the  craggy  rocks, 
where  they  rolled  in  mangled  confusion.  The  sad  survivors 
sat  down  in  silent  rage,  gnashing  their  teeth  to  think  that 
bravery  was  of  no  use,  and  manhood  of  no  avail ;  but  a 
useless  butchery  had  resulted  from  mismanagement,  or  per- 
haps, worse,  from  treachery.  The  whole  nation  mourned, 
and  gloom  overspread  the  people  like  a  pall.  The  gallant 
Baker  was  generally  lamented,  and  his  remains  lay  honored 
in  state,  in  Independence  Hall,  at  Philadelphia. 

The  greatest  blame  of  this  movement  was  attached  to 
General  Stone,  and  he  was  relieved  of  his  command  and 
imprisoned.  General  Gorman,  from  Banks'  division,  crossed 
at  Edward's  Ferry  in  the  meanwhile,  and  McClellan  arrived 
on  the  field,  and  ordered  the  troops  back  to  Maryland 
Colonel  Lander  was  put  in  command  of  Baker's  troops,  but 


82  CHARGE   OF    ZAGONYI. 

a  wound  leceived  in  a  skirmish  rendered  him  unfit  for  ser 
vice.  The  Federal  force  was  eighteen  hundred.  One-half 
were  lost,  as  killed,  wounded,  or  prisoners.  Of  the  latter 
were  Colonels  Coggswell  and  Lee. 

In  Missouri,  Major  Zagonji,  of  Fremont's  Body-guard, 
with  one  hundred  and  fifty  men,  was  sent  in  advance  by  that 
general,  who  had  heard  that  Springfield,  at  the  distance  of 
fifty  miles,  was  occupied  by  three  hundred  rebels,  whom  he 
determined  to  dislodge.  Reaching  the  place  the  following 
afternoon,  Zagonyi  found  the  enemy  drawn  up  in  line 
of  battle,  half  a  mile  from  the  city,  and  reported  to  be 
two  thousand  strong.  The  major  rode  boldly  on  through 
the  fire  of  the  skirmishers,  and  formed  his  men  in  the 
enemy's  camp.  The  bugle  sounded  the  charge,  and  these 
brave  cavaliers,  sword  in  hand,  dashed  on.  The  enemy  fired 
a  volley,  broke  and  fled  before  this  hurricane.  The  cry  of 
the  Federals  was,  "  Fremont  and  the  Union."  The  infantrj 
sought  safety  in  the  woods ;  then  a  recall  was  sounded,  ana 
Zagonyi  pursued  the  cavalry  through  the  town,  and  dashed 
through  the  streets,  making  a  score  of  charges,  till  not  a 
rebel  remained.  The  recall  was  sounded,  and  only  two 
thirds  of  his  command  remained.  The  enemy  lost  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  in  killed  and  wounded,  and  *wr  ty -seven 
prisoners. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

NOVEMBER,    1861. 

IWi  PUBLM  MIND  DISSATISFIED FREMONT — WHAT  DIFFICULTIES  HE  BUR- 

MODNTKD ADVANCE  OF  THB  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC  EXPECTH) — 5RKAT 

NATAL  EXPEDITION — ENCOUNTERS  A  STORM — BOMBARDMENT  OF  THB 
REBEL  FORTS — ATTACK  AND  VICTORY — GENERAL  SCOTT  RETIRES,  AND 
MCCLELLAN  SUCCEEDS  HIM — GRAND  REVIEW  OF  THE  ARMY  OF  THB 
POTOMAC— GRANT'S  EXPEDITION  FROM  CAIRO — BATTLE  OF  BELKONT — 
NELSON'S  CAMPAIGN,  ITS  RESULTS — INVESTIGATION  OF  CHARGES  AGAINST 
FREMONT — HIS  REMOVAL — HUNTER  SUCCEEDS — HALLECK  SUPESREDES 
HUNTER — DEPARTMENTS  RECONSTRUCTED — EXPEDITION  OF  DIX — CAP- 
TURE OF  MASON  AND  SLIDELL — THEIR  SURRENDER  DEMANDED,  AND 
ON  WHAT  GROUND  OBTAINED — THE  NASHVILLE  AND  TU8CARORA — 
MCCLELLAN'S  ORDERS — THE  NEGROES  AT  PORT  ROYAL — REBELS  BURN 
THE  COTTON — REBEL  SCHOONER  BURNED. 

GREAT  want  of  satisfaction  with  the  administration  now 
prevailed  throughout  the  country.  Fremont  still  com- 
manded in  Missouri,  but  his  removal  was  demanded;  and  he 
lost  the  confidence  of  the  public  after  the  battle  of  Wilson's 
Creek  and  the  fall  of  Lexington ;  and  even  the  Blairs,  who 
had  been  his  friends,  were  now  become  his  opponents.  Yet 
when  he  took  the  command  of  Missouri,  it  was  full  of  rebels 
and  guerillas.  Two  large  armies  were  invading  the  State ; 
the  department  was  disorganized,  and  the  city  of  St.  Louis 
rebellious.  He  was  without  the  aid  of  Government,  without 
arms  and  equipments,  and,  in  a  measure,  money  or  credit. 
The  State  was  to  be  recovered,  the  Illinois  border  pro- 
tected, and  preparations  were  to  be  made  for  descending  the 
Mississippi.  Public  calumniators  were  rife,  private  hostility 
abounded,  and  the  national  Government  manifested  no  con- 
cealed distrust.  These  were  great  difficulties.  He  guarded 
over  one  thousand  miles  of  river  and  railroad  travel,  with- 
out naval  aid,  or  the  loss  of  a  railroad  in  the  State,  at  a  time 
when  the  rebels  frequently  destroyed  the.  Baltimore  and 
Ohio  railroad,  and  were  keeping  the  Potomac  sealed  with  a 
blockade.  While  Western  Virginia  and  East  Tennessu, 
suffered  the  depredation  of  guerillas,  he  kept  the  contest  in 
Missouri  confined  between  organized  bodies  of  tioops,  and, 
by  a  good  use  <  f  his  resources,  repelled  an  army  of  twenty 

(83) 


4  ADVAJfCff    OF   THE    ARV#    EXPECTED. 

thousand  men  from  the  border  on  the  southeast.  He  also 
guarded  the  Illinois  border  on  the  south  from  invasion.  The 
design,  afterward  successfully  carried  out,  of  striking  at  the 
heart  of  the  rebellion,  by  the  rivers  Cumberland  and  Ten- 
nessee was  Fremont's  well -matured  plan,  and  would  have 
saved  the  country  millions,  if  carried  out  at  the  time.  He 
collected  an  army  of  forty  thousand  men,  marched  at  their 
head,  through  an  enemy's  country,  three  hundred  miles, 
chasing  the  rebels,  throwing  a  bridge  over  a  river  broad 
and  deep,  and  overcoming  obstacles  declared  by  a  high  offi- 
cial incapable  of  being  surmounted.  And  on  the  eve  of  a 
great  battle  he  was  removed  from  the  command,  as  will 
presently  be  shown. 

The  fact  that  October,  so  well  calculated  fcv  warlike 
demonstrations,  passed  without  striking  a  blow  at  the 
enemy  on  the  Potomac,  was  another  source  of  complaint. 
And  now,  in  the  chill  month  of  November,  it  was  rumored, 
daily,  that  an  advance  was  about  to  be  made  on  the  strong 
jbrtificatioas  of  Manassas.  The  enemy  expected  a  flank 
movement  on  the  Potomac,  and  their  lines  now  ran  from 
Blue  Ridge  to  Acquia  creek.  Except  when  some  daring 
vessel  made  the  unsafe  attempt  of  running  down  past  the 
heavy  shore  batteries,  the  Potomac  was  effectually  block- 
aded. This  was  mortifying  to  the  people,  and  felt  as  dis- 
honorable to  the  nation.  Every  one  thought  that  the  army 
uhould  move,  and  that  the  coldness  of  the  weather  would 
prevent  an  active  campaign  in  Virginia. 

The  blockade  interfered  with  the  commerce  of  France  and 
England.  The  latter  wanted  cotton,  and  her  operatives,  in  the 
manufacturing  towns,  would  be  thrown  out  of  employment 
and  reduced  to  poverty  if  the  blockade  was  not  soon  raised. 
If  nothing  were  done  before  spring,  these  nations,  it  was  sur- 
mised, would  demand  an  abandonment  of  the  blockade.  The 
cry  from  the  West  was  not  the  weakest.  Its  nature  required 
action,  and  could  ill  brook  the  delay  which  condemned  a 
hundred  thousand  armed  men  to  inactivity.  The  Secretary 
of  War  (Camecon)  was  included  in  the  complaints,  and  wae 
declared  more  eager  to  obtain  fat  contracts  for  his  friends 
than  to  urge  the  army  onward  to  battle.  The  Cabinet  was 
thought  to  be  heedless  of  existing  events,  aud  the  veteran 
hero,  General  Scott,  was  deemed  too  slow,  while  age  and  in 
rendered  him  unfit  to  guide  the  helm,  that  in  such 


GREAT   NAVAL   EXPEDITION  86 

a  storm  required  a  firmer  hand.  Reviews  held  in  Virginia 
did  not  compensate  the  people  for  inaction,  and  only  one 
thing  drew  the  public  mind  from  the  contemplation  of  the 
sombre  view  before  it.  This  was  the  grand  but  secret  naval 
expedition  which  left  Hampton  Roads  on  the  29th  of 
October. 

The  rebel"  States  were  still  exulting  over  their  victory  at 
Ball's  Bluff,  when  terror  and  apprehension  took  the  place 
of  wild  joy,  on  hearing  of  the  departure  of  a  powerful 
Federal  fleet  from  Annapolis,  for  some  point  of  the  south- 
ern coast  unknown  to  them.  This  expedition  consisted  of 
nearly  twenty  thousand  men,  land  forces  and  marines;  the 
troops  under  command  of  General  W.  T.  Sherman,  and  a 
fleet  of  fifty  vessels,  of  which  eighteen  were  men-of-war,  in 
command  of  Commodore  Samuel  F.  Dupont.  Unnecessary 
delays,  after  embarkation  of  troops,  had  rendered  the  depart- 
ure too  late  for  fine  weather;  but,  as  this  fleet  faded  from 
view  on  the  horizon,  great  excitement  prevailed  as  to  its 
destination,  and  the  mystery  in  which  the  expedition  waa 
enveloped  magnified  its  importance.  One  of  the  most  ter- 
rific storms  ever  known  in  this  latitude,  in  a  few  days,  filled 
the  public  with  dread  apprehension,  and  recalled  to  mind 
the  fate  of  the  Spanish  armada.  Many  of  the  vessels  were 
small,  and  quite  unfit  for  the  open  sea ;  some  were  but  ferry- 
boats, and  these,  it  was  thought,  could  not  survive  the 
storm.  The  South  offered  thanksgivings  to  God  for  hia 
Providence,  which  was  so  favorable  to  them,  while  the  North 
hoped  in  the  mercy  of  Him  "  whom  winds  and  sea  obey." 

But  the  grand  fleet  was  not  left  the  sport  of  the  winds. 
The  God  that  rolled  up  this  mighty  continent,  arid  founded 
a  grand  Republic  upon  it,  gave  it  dominion  as  well  on  the 
ocean  as  en  the  dry  land.  Men  saw,  in  this  dreadful  storm, 
the  loss  of  a  powerful  fleet  and  a  fruitless  expedition.  Tho 
swelling  tempest  presaged  dread  disaster.  Dupont  saw  the 
gathering  storm  with  anxiety,  and  prepared  for  it  as  a 
thorough  seaman.  The  gale  rose  to  a  hurricane,  which 
swept  the  sea  with  resistless  force,  and  the  scattered  vessels, 
like  the  fle^t  of  the  "Piius  ^Eneas,"  were  scattered  on  the 
pathless  deep,  on  the  first  gloomy  night  of  November. 
Dupont,  at  dawn,  surveyed  the  heaving  sea,  with  a  glass,  on 
the  flag-ship  Wabash,  and  not  a  sail  was  seen,  except  one. 
The  srew  of  tin  transport  Peerless  was  taken  fiom  th« 
6 


86  ENCOUNTERS    STORMS. 

sinking  vessel.  The  steamer  Governor,  having  on  board 
the  marine  battalion,  was  a  wreck.  She  had  struggled  all 
night  with  the  waves.  Her  smoke-stack  was  gone ;  her 
eteam-pipe  burst ;  her  chains  and  cable  broken,  and  water 
poured  in  upon  her.  In  the  morning,  she  made  signals  of 
distress,  as  a  steamer  hove  in  sight,  and  her  rockets  wore 
answered  by  the  Isaac  Smith,  which  flung,  but  had  to  cut 
loose,  a  hawser.  Another  snapped,  and  she  was  again  adrift; 
but  the  Rover  came  up,  and,  later,  the  Sabine,  and  at  eight 
o'clock  thirty  men  were  rescued  and  placed  on  board  the 
latter.  A  heavy  sea  broke  the  hawsers,  and  the  vessels 
parted,  and,  with  four  feet  of  water  in  her  hold,  the  ill-fated 
steamer  was  ready  to  sink.  The  Sabine  again  came  along- 
side, and  forty  more  were  taken  on  board.  By  lightening 
and  pumping,  the  Governor  weathered  the  storm  during  the 
night ;  and  the  boats  of  the  Sabine  were  launched  at  day- 
light ;  and,  as  they  durst  not  come  near  the  rolling  wreck,  the 
men  of  the  Governor,  jumping  overboard,  were  picked  up 
and  all  but  six  saved.  The  vessel,  with  a  heavy  lurch,  then 
sank.  The  storm  was  over.  All  the  vessels  came  up,  and 
continued  on  their  course.  Dupont  called  the  Susque- 
hanna  from  off  blockading  duty,  in  passing  Charleston,  and 
soon  after  anchored  off  Port  Royal,  the  entrance  to  Beau- 
fort, the  best  cotton  port  in  all  South  Carolina.  When 
buoys  again  indicated  the  channel,  the  vessels  passed  the 
bar,  and,  in  another  day,  were  made  ready  and  in  position 
for  action.  The  entrance  was  guarded  by  Fort  Beauregard 
and  Fort  Walker,  on  the  two  islands  of  Hilton  Head  and 
Bay  Point,  which  lay  opposite  to  each  other.  Fort  Beaure- 
gard mounted  twenty-three  guns,  while  Fort  Walker"  had 
three,  of  large  calibre.  A  fleet  of  eight  rebel  steamers  lay 
withir,  under  the  command  of  Commodore  Tatnall. 

The  Federal  ships  cleared  for  action,  November  7ch,  and 
now  within  range,  the  bombardment  commenced.  Tha 
forts  were  strongly  garrisoned,  with  eighteen  hundred  men, 
under  General  Drayton.  The  vessels  of  the  fleet  before- 
named,  under  Commodore  Tatnall,  began  firing  as  the 
Federal  fleet  came  up  to  the  forts,  but  a  few  shots  made 
them  disappear  toward  Savannah.  It  was  determined  \>y 
the  commanders,  that  only  the  naval  forces  would  be  used 
in  the  bombardment,  and  the  land  forces  were  but  specta- 
tors. The  war  vessels  were  stationed  six  hundred  vards 


BOMBARDMENT  OF  REBEL  PORTS.  87 

from  the  forts,  and  often  attacked  the  batteries  on  both 
sides  simultaneously.  The  forts  were  well  constructed 
oeing  heavily  armed  and  plentifully  supplied.  Their  can- 
non answered  the  Federal  attack  briskly  at  first,  but  were 
illy  manned,  and  it  was  soon  apparent  that  the  works  could 
not  hold  out  against  the  storm  of  shot  and  shell  from  the 
Federal  guns.  The  place  was  strewn  with  killed  and 
rounded,  and  the  badly-served  guns  of  the  rebels  often 
inflicted  more  injury  on  their  own  gunners  than  on  the 
Federals.  After  four  hours'  contest,  the  rebels  abandoned 
their  works  and  fled,  carrying  with  them  the  dead  and 
wounded.  At  a  quarter  to  three  o'clock,  the  flag  was  struck 
on  Fort  Walker,  and  a  white  one  was  run  up  before  evacu- 
tion.  The  firing  ceased,  and  Dupont  sent  Captain  Rodgers 
io  find  out  the  condition  of  things,  who,  seeing  the  fort 
deserted,  raised  the  stars  and  stripes  on  the  flag-staff.  At 
the  sight  of  this  national  emblem,  soldiers  and  sailors  sent 
up  loud  cheers  to  greet  it.  Fort  Beauregard  was  deserted 
at  the  same  time,  and  with  equal  haste,  as  Fort  Walker. 
During  the  attack  on  the  forts,  which  were  separate  at  two 
miles  and  a  half  distance,  the  Federal  ships  kept  moving, 
making  a  detour  in  a  line,  and  gaining  the  range  of  each 
fort  in  succession.  "  They  thus  formed  a  formidable  pro- 
cession, resembling  a  concourse  of  destroying  angels,  who, 
with  inexorable  vengeance,  approached  the  rebel  works, 
from  time  to  time,  to  inflict  deserved  destruction  on  them." 
Each  war  vessel,  in  passing,  remained  twenty  minutes  in 
range,  and,  during  that  time,  delivered  a  great  number  of 
shells.  The  scene  was  sublime,  and  the  resounding  echoes 
of  the  guns  could  be  heard  as  far  as  Charleston  and  Savan- 
nah. The  Federal  troops  took  possession  of  the  forts  ere 
night  fell.  Fort  Walker  was  found  to  cover  an  area  of  four 
acres.  It  was  angular,  and  surrounded  by  a  deep  ditch, 
filled  with  the  killed  and  wounded  of  the  rebels.  In  thia 
fight,  "  the  Wabash  led  the  van."  The  commander  of  Fort 
Walker  had  a  brother  on  the  Federal  fleet  who  "  helped  to 
ehell  him  out." 

Great  joy  at  the  North  followed  this  victory.  The  stars 
and  stripes  floated  in  South  Carolina  once  more,  and  the 
nation  looked  to  Sherman  for  an  advance  of  his  army  but 
this  general  confined  his  attention  to  dock  building.  It 
thought  that  tl  >re  was  enough  Union  sentiment  at  tb« 


38         MCCLELLAN  APPOINTED   COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF. 

South  to  operate  in  favor  of  the  Union  and  that  the  slaves 
would  rise  at  the  approach  of  the  Federal  armies.  It  was 
also  thought  that  Sherman  might  have  taken  Savannah 
without  a  contest,  if  he  had  pushed  on  with  his  forces. 

General  Scott,  the  veteran  commander-in-chief,  now 
superannuated,  resigned  his  position,  and  left  to  other  hands 
the  task  of  defending  the  flag  which  he  loved  so  well  and 
had  so  often  planted  in  victory.  A  portion  of  the  Cabinet 
escorted  him  to  New  York,  and  his  mantle  fell  on  General 
George  B.  McClellan,  on  whom  the  eyes  of  the  nation  were 
now  turned  with  affection  and  confidence.  The  citizens  of 
Philadelphia  presented  him  with  a  sword,  and  he  told  them 
the  war  would  be  brief,  but  desperate;  and  asked,  in 
future,  for  forbearance,  patience,  and,  confidence.  This 
speech  took  deep  root  in  the  public  mind,  and  seemed  to 
presage  an  advance  against  the  enemy's  works. 

Around  the  capital  every  height  was  studded  with  en- 
campments; and  the  Potomac,  above  and  below,  on  the 
Maryland  side,  contained  great  army  divisions,  while  in- 
numerable camp  fires  blazed  in  Virginia,  from  Alexandria 
to  Lewinsville,  ten  miles  above  Washington.  The  long  roll 
of  the  drum,  all  along  this  line,  daily  resounded ;  and  while 
the  autumn  passed  away,  and  the  cold  days  gave  pre- 
monition of  winter,  no  quarters  were  provided  for  the 
troops,  and  cavalry  horses  were  exposed  in  the  field  at  a 
cold  picket  line.  And  yet  the  order  for  the  mighty  hosts 
to  move  was  not  yet  heard.  A  grand  review  of  all  the 
divisions  stationed  in  Virginia  was  announced.  All  whc 
desired  might  witness  it,  and  without  passes ;  for  that  day, 
the  public  might  cross  the  long  bridge.  Great  excitement 
prevailed  in  the  city.  This  review  was  deemed  the  precur- 
sor of  an  advance,  and  the  time  had  come  to  decide  the 
nation's  fate.  Near  Bailey  s  crossroads  McClellan  passed 
in  review,  in  presence  of  the  President  and  part  of  the 
cabinet,  nearly  a  hundred  thousand  men,  of  all  arms  of  the 
service,  infantry,  cavalry,  and  artillery.  It  was  a  splendid 
sight.  As  enthusiastic  cheers  rent  the  air,  while  the  general 
galloped  up  and  down  the  long  lines,  the  sunbeams  glanced 
on  refulgent  arms,  and  brave  legions  stood  in  the  pride  and 
glory  of  military  array. 

In  Missouri,  in  the  meantime,  the  enemy  had  established 
*  camp  at  Belmont,  opposite  Colwmbus,  with  the  design  of 


GRANT'S   EXPEDITION    FROM    CAIRO.  8& 

leading  troops  to  Price,  wto  was  striving  against  superior 
numbers.  To  prevent  this,  and  lend  aid  to  some  troops 
whom  he  had  sent  against  Jeff.  Thompson,  General  Ulysse^ 
S.  Grant  formed  the  plan  of  an  expedition  to  Belmont,  and; 
with  a  feint  on  Columbus,  took  two  thousand  men,  en 
Noyember  6th,  in  transports,  from  Cairo,  and  moving  down 
khe  Kentucky  shore  nine  miles,  rested  during  the  night. 
To  carry  out  the  feint  in  perfection,  General  Grant,  on  the 
7th,  sent  two  other  columns  from  Paducah  through  the 
country.  On  the  same  day  Grant  continued  his  course  down 
the  river,  and  when  nearly  within  range  of  the  enemy's  guns, 
landed  his  men  on  the  Missouri  side  of  the  river,  where 
they  lay  in  camp  two  miles  and  a  half  above  Belmont 
Leaving  a  portion  of  the  troops  to  guard  the  transports,  he 
marched  about  a  mile,  drew  up  his  men  in  line  of  battle, 
threw  out  skirmishers,  and  soon  found  the  enemy  prepared 
for  the  encounter.  The  column  halted,  and  soon  advanced 
in  line  of  battle,  except  the  regiment  of  Colonel  Buford, 
which  made  a  movement  to  the  right  so  as  by  a  detour  to 
come  upon  the  Rebel  camps.  The  advance  of  the  enemy 
in  force  was  handsomely  met  by  the  troops  of  Illinois  and 
Iowa,  who  forced  the:j  way  through  the  wood  and  brush, 
bravely  fighting  every  inch  of  the  way.  The  enemy  at 
last  retired,  after  pouring  a  heavy  and  destructive  fire  on 
the  Union  troops,  who  firmly  held  their  ground,  and  met 
with  bravery  the  reinforcements  that  soon  were  hurled 
against  them.  The  enemy  made  a  stand  for  half  an  hour  be- 
hkd  a  bank;  but  the  Federals,  led  by  brave  officers, 
advanced  in  face  of  a  deadly  fire.  Generals  Grant  and 
McClernand,  with  their  staffs,  were  the  especial  marks  aimed 
at  by  sharp  shooters.  Colonels  Logan  and  Foulke  animated 
their  troops  to  deeds  of  during,  and  the  soldiers  with  shouts 
drove  the  o  lemy  to  their  camp.  Trees  had  been  felled,  and 
made  an  abatis  through  which  it  required  great  fortitude 
so  force.  The  attack  was  made  from  three  sides  simultane- 
ously. As  Colonel  Buford,  sent  out  on  the  right,  had 
reached  the  desired  point  and  delivered  a  tremendous  vol- 
ley the  troops  with  shouts  crossed  the  abatis  and  reached 
the  open  space  before  the  rebel  camp.  The  shout  of  the 
Twenty-seventh  Illinois,  who  were  the  first  within,  brought 
the  whole  line  forward/  The  camp  was  won ;  the  old  flag 
replaced  the  reb  -1  banner ;  the  national  airs  were  played  • 


00  BATTLE  OF  BELMONT. 

and  hearty  cheers  were  borne  in  echoes  along  the  shores  of 
the  great  river.  The  tents  and  carnp  equipage  were  burnt 
When  the  rebel  garrison  of  Columbus  saw  the  camp  at 
Belmont  captured,  its  he?vy  guns  rient  the  shot  and  shell  so 
thickly  through  the  air  that  it  was  evident  that  the  place 
must  be  abandoned.  Grant  now  discovered  that  a  large 
force,  under  the  command  of  General  Bishop  Polk,  was 
crossing  the  river  between  the  troops  and  their  transports* 
and  now  the  contest  was  to  regain  the  boats.  The  men,  re- 
called by  the  sound  of  the  bugles,  brought  off  the  dead  and 
wounded,  and  retired  over  the  ground  so  bravely  gained 
in  time  to  see  the  enemy,  in  line  of  battle,  ready  to  dis- 
pute their  progress.  Colonel  Logan  advanced  on  them, 
and  the  whole  army  followed  him  except  the  Twenty- 
seventh  Illinois  and  Dollin's  cavalry,  which  had  made  a 
circuit  to  the  right  in  the  morning  and  returned  by  the 
way  they  came.  The  troops,  entering  the  woods,  again  met 
the  rebels,  and  a  hot  contest  began.  The  enemy  was  two 
to  one,  but  the  Federals  saw  that  their  safety  depended  on 
the  transports,  and  cleared  their  way  through  the  foe  with 
desperate  force,  always  rallying  when  disorder  for  a  moment 
interfered.  Fast  and  thick  the  shot  fell,  strewing  the  wood 
with  dead,  but  the  retreat  continued,  and  two  gunboats 
opening  a  deadly  fire  upon  the  enemy,  kept  them  back,  and 
all  gained  the  transports  and  got  on  board  except  Buford's 
command  and  Dollin's  cavalry,  of  which  no  account  was 
yet  received.  The  enemy  continued  to  fire  on  the  trans- 
ports, and  the  gunboats,  when  they  had  carried  the  troops 
in  safety  beyond  range,  went  to  look  after  the  missing 
regiment  and  the  cavalry.  It  was  not  known  what  became 
of  them,  but  the  music  of  their  bands  was  soon  heard, 
and  their  flags  were  seen  coming  up.  The  wearied  men 
saluted  the  Tyler  and  Lexington  with  shouts  of  joy,  as, 
laying-to,  they  awaited  their  arrival ;  and,  all  aboard, 
they  reached  Cairo  at  midnight,  having  lest  four  hundred 
killed,  wounded,  and  missing,  two  caissons,  and  some  am- 
munition. 

On  the  9th  of  November,  General  William  Nelson  began 
a  forced  march  of  thirty  miles  from  Prestonburg,  Ken- 
tucky, with  two  thousand  men,  for  the  purpose  of  attacking 
the  enemy  at  Pikeville,  in  the  eastern,  part  of  the  same  State, 
The  men  set  cut  wiih  two  days'  rations.  Colonel  Sill,  with 


.  NELSON'S   CAMPAIGN.  9\ 

part  of  the  command,  left  the  main  body  on  the  7th,  with 
the  intention  of  going  by  John's  creek  and  passing  to  the 
left  of  Piketon,  a  distance  of  forty  miles,  so  as  to  turn  the 
enemy's  position  and  cut  them  off'.  The  day  following, 
Nelson  led  the  main  body,  by  the  direct  road,  at  a  rapid 
pace,  and,  free  from  impediments,  the  rnen,  in  eight  hoars 
toilsome  marching,  reached  a  narrow  mountain  defile,  end- 
ing at  Ivy  creek,  where  the  road,  seven  feet  wide,  is  cut  in 
the  steep  mountain  side  twenty-five  feet  above  the  level  of 
the  stream. 

The  mountain  ridge,  descending  the  gorge,  describes  a 
curve  inward.  Seven  hundred  rebels  lay  in  ambush  behind 
the  ridge,  and  reserving  their  fire  till  Colonel  Marshall's 
battalion,  in  the  advance,  reached  the  turn,  poured  in  a 
deadly  volley,  which  caused  thirteen  brave  men  to  fall.  At 
Nelson's  orders,  two  Kentucky  regiments  darted  up  the 
steep  mountain  side,  drawing  themselves  up  by  main  force 
over  rocks  and  boulders  till  they  confronted  the  astonished 
rebels.  Two  cannon  held  position  on  the  road  and  shelled 
the  rebels  in  front  and  on  the  side  of  the  stream  opposite. 
The  enemy  in  an  hour  and  a  half,  during  which  the  battle 
lasted,  gave  way,  and,  retiring,  cut  the  bridges  across  the 
stream.  Trees,  felled  and  cast  across  the  way,  impeded  the 
pursuing  and  wearied  troops,  who  that  night  bivouacked 
a  few  miles  beyond  Ivy  creek.  Next  morning  a  heavy 
storm  fell,  continuing  the  whole  day,  during  which  the  rain 
did  not  keep  the  column  back.  The  men  bridged  the  creek, 
cut  away  trees  with  the  axe,  marched  in  mud  and  water 
knee  deep,  and  shelterless,  and  with  rations  consisting  only 
of  meat,  without  salt,  bivouacked  in  a  drenching  rain.  Pike- 
ville  was  reached  on  the  tenth.  Colonel  Sill  had  arrived 
the  day  before,  in  time  to  find  the  enemy  in  full  flight. 

The  enemy's  plans  in  Eastern  Kentucky  were  discon- 
certed by  this  bold  and  rapid  march,  and  their  forces  scat- 
tered. This  important  result  was  attained  in  a  three  weeks 
campaign.  Adjutant-general  Lorenzo  Thomas  was  sent 
about  this  time  to  Missouri,  to  investigate  certain  charges 
against  General  Fremont,  whom  his  friends  declared  as  now 
in  a  position  to  either  capture  or  drive  the  rebel  Price  from 
that  State.  The  report  made  was  permitted  by  the  Secre- 
tary of  War  to  be  published  in  the  New  York  Tribune,  and 
was  devoured  greedily  by  the  public.  The  adjutant-general 


¥2  CHARGES   AGAINST  FREMONT. 

came  in  for  as  great  a  share  of  blame  as  did  Fremont,  i* 
consequence  of  this  report.  Both  the  manner  in  which  the 
evidence  was  taken,  and  the  whole  spirit  of  the  report,  were 
not  only  in  themselves  most  unjust,  but  also,  by  unfolding 
Fremont's  designs  to  the  enemy,  highly  detrimental  to  the 
public  service.  And  this  was  not  all.  Not  only  was  the 
case  prejudiced,  and  the  enemy  aware  of  all  the  weak  points 
which  existed  in  the  Department  of  the  "West,  but  he  took 
precautions  to  prepare  against  the  Federal  forces  in  future 
in  a  way  the  most  effective,  and  as  to  blood  and  treasure, 
the  most  costly  to  the  Government.  Fremont  had  presented 
a  bold  front  to  the  enemy.  He  exaggerated  his  forces  to 
deceive  them,  and  in  this  was  his  strength.  The  report 
told  the  enemy  how  weak  in  reality  the  Federal  force  was 
and  while  the  press  dared  not  give  information  of  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac,  lest  it  should  be  received  by  the  enemy 
the  affairs  of  Fremont,  and  his  plans,  designs,  force,  and 
prospects,  were  discussed  with  a  freedom  and  a  spirit,  to  the 
Southern  cause  most  beneficial,  and  to  every  rebel  most 
gratifying. 

Hon.  Schuyler  Colfax,  representative  from  Indiana,  ar- 
rived at  St.  Louis  six  days  before  the  fall  of  Lexington 
Being  a  personal  friend  of  Fremont,  he  called  on  him,  and 
urged  that  reinforcements  be  sent  and  Price  cut  off  without 
delay. 

"Mr.  Colfax,"  replied  the  general,  "I  will  tell  you,  con- 
fidentially,  how  many  men  we  have  in  St.  Louis,  though  1 
would  not  have  it  published  on  the  streets  for  my  life. 
The  opinion  in  the  city  is  that  we  have  here  twenty  thou- 
sand men — and  this  gives  us  strength.  If  it  were  known 
what  is  the  actual  number,  our  enemies  would  be  promptly 
informed.  But  I  will  show  you  how  many  there  are." 
The  muster-rolls  of  the  morning  were  brought  in,  and 
showed  in  the  city  and  seven  miles  around,  less  than  fight 
thousand  men,  including  the  home  guards.  There  wtre  but 
two  whole  regiments.  Mr.  Colfax  thought  that  tbis  was  a 
miserable  array  of  an  army,  even  for  the  city's  defence,  and 
asked  if  none  could  be  sent.  Could  not  some  be  spared  ? 
Fremont  silently  handed  Mr.  Colfax  the  two  following  tele 
grams,  received  the  same  day  from  Wasl  ington. 


REMOVAL   OF   FREMONT.  98 

"WASHINGTON,    Sept.  14/A,  1861. 

"To  MAJOR-GENERAL  FREMONT. 

"  On  consultation  with  the  President  .  and  Head  of  De- 
partment, it  was  determined  to  call  upon  you  for  five  thou- 
sand well  armed  infantry,  to  be  sent  here  without  a  moment's 
delay.  Give  them  three  days'  cooked  rations.  This  draft 
from  your  forces  to  be  replaced  to  you  by  draft  from  the 
States  of  Illinois,  Iowa,  Kansas,  etc.  How  many  men  have 
you  under  arms  in  your  district  ? 

"  Please  answer  fully  and  immediatelv. 

"SIMON  "CAMERON, 
"Secretary  of  War." 

"  WASHINGTON,  Sept.  l±th,  1861. 
"  To  MAJOR-GENERAL  FREMONT. 

"  Detach  five  thousand  infantry  from  your  Department,  to 
come  here  without  delay,  and  report  the  number  of  troops 
that  will  be  left  you.  The  President  dictates. 

"WINFIELD 


General  Fremont  was  suddenly  deprived  of  his  coma  and, 
and  superseded  by  General  Hunter.  Hunter  was  in  the 
rear,  on  November  3d,  and  Fremont  sent  three  couriers  after 
him.  The  enemy  were  now  marching  upon  Springfield, 
and  Price's  advance  was  reported  at  Wilson's  creek,  ten 
miles  off.  The  rest  of  his  force  was  but  a  little  behind. 
McOuliough  was  at  Dug  Springs,  and  the  combined  for- 
ces of  the  enemy,  concentrating  at  Wilson's  creek,  was  esti- 
mated at  forty  thousand  men. 

Union  citizens  sought  protection  in  Springfield.  One 
hundred  and  ien  officers,  and  all  the  brigadier-generals  in 
the  army  visited  Fremont  in  a  body,  presented  a  written 
ftddress»with  respect  and  sympathy,  and  besought  him  to 
lead  them  against  the  enemy,  who  now  stood  on  the  same 
ground  which  they  before  had  held,  at  the  battle  ofWilson'i 
creek.  Fremont  received  the  address,  and  promised  that  if 
General  Hunter  did  not  arrive  before  morning  he  would 
grant  their  request.  He  accordingly,  at  eight  o'clock  in  the 
evening,  issued  the  order  of  battle.  According  to  the 
plan,  which  was  the  same  as  that  previously  adopted  by 
General  Lyon.  a  simultaneous  attack  was  to  be  made  by 
Generals  Sigel  and  Lane  in  the  rear,  General  Asboth  from 
the  east,  and  Generals  McKinstry  and  "'ope  in  the  front. 


•4  '  CAPTURE   OF   MASON    AND  SLIDELL. 

At  midnight,  the  arrival  of  General  Hunter,  and  the  ret 
ignation  into  his  hands  of  the  command,  countermanded  th« 
order  of  battle.  Oders  were  issued  to  the  troops  to  prepare 
to  turn  their  backs  upon  the  enemy,  and  march  to  St.  Louis. 
Thus  southern  Missouri  was  once  more  left  to  be  overrun 
and  pillaged  by  the  rebels. 

Meanwhile,  General  Henry  W.  Halleck  arrived  from 
California,  and  took  command  of  the  Department.  New 
Mexico  became  a  Department,  with  General  Canby  at  ite 
head.  General  Hunter  was  placed  in  command  of  the  De 
partment,  including  Kansas,  part  of  the  Indian  Territory 
Nebraska,  Colorado,  and  Dacotah.  The  Department  ot 
Missouri  included  Iowa,  Minnesota,  Wisconsin,  Illinois, 
Arkansas,  and  Kentucky,  west  of  the  Cumberland  river. 
The  Department  of  the  Ohio  included  Ohio,  Michigan,  In- 
diana, Kentucky,  east  of  the  Cumberland,  and  Tennessee 
and  was  commanded  by  General  Don  Carlos  Buell,  while 
General  Eosecrans  commanded  in  Western  Virginia.  General 
Dix,  who  commanded  in  Maryland,  by  a  sudden  movement 
occupied,  without  a  contest,  the  counties  of  Northampton 
and  Accomac,  Virginia. 

Great  excitement  now  prevailed  in  the  North,  which 
threatened  to  involve  the  relations  with  England.  The 
Southern  Confederacy,  desirous  of  European  recognition, 
had  sent  Messrs.  Mason  and  Slidell  to  England  and  France, 
to  represent  its  interests.  Their  escape  from  Charleston,  in 
the  steamer  Nashville,  caused  our  Government  to  send  a 
steamer  in  pursuit  of  them.  Having  landed  at  Havana,  the 
commissioners  took  their  passage  for  England  on  board  the 
Trent,  an  English  packet.  The  Trent  was  overhauled  by 
Captain  Wilkes,  who  brought  her  to  under  his  guns,  as  he 
was  on  his  way  home  from  Africa.  Messrs.  Mason  and  Sli- 
dell, with  their  secretary,  Mr.  Eustace,  were  transferred  to 
his  own  ship,  the  San  Jacinto,  brought  to  port  at  Boston, 
and  incarcerated  in  Fort  Warren,  near  that  city.  Unbounded 
joy  followed  their  capture,  but  it  was  not  withcut  alloy 
when  the  question  arose  as  to  how  England  would  regard 
the  insult  to  her  flag.  The  press,  almost  without  exception, 
defended  the  act  of  Captain  Wilkes,  and  was  of  opinion  that 
the  prisoners  should  not  be  surrendered,  even  to  avert  a  war 
witi.  England.  Reflecting  minds  saw  that  in  two  wars  of 
immense  magnitude  there  would  not  fail  to  be  a  recognition 


BJELEASK   OF   MASON   AND   SLIDELL.  95 

of  the  Southern  Confederacy.  News  from  England  soon 
arrived.  The  supposed  insult  to  the  British  flag  caused  a 
feeling  of  indignation  through  all  parts  of  the  kingdom, 
wli.ch  was  inflamed  by  the  press,  and  the  probability  was, 
that  the  Government  would  be  borne  on  by  public  senti- 
ment to  declare  war  against  the  United  States.  This  was 
indicated  by  military  preparations,  and  troops  were  ordered 
to  Canada.  This  delighted  the  South,  which  had  lost  all 
hopes  of  a  recognition  from  England,  Now,  in  the  event  of 
a  quarrel,  what  might  not  be  expected  ?  Meanwhile,  Mason 
and  Slidell  lay  in  Fort  Warren,  and  the  demand  came  for 
their  release.  Both  in  England  and  the  North,  there  was 
great  anxiety  as  to  what  answer  the  Cabinet  at  Washington 
would  make  to  this  momentous  question.  In  a  long  and 
able  reply  by  Secretary  Seward,  the  conclusion  was,  that 
Captain  Wilkes  did  not  take  the  vessel  into  a  neutral  port 
for  adjudication  of  the  case,  and,  on  this  ground  simply,  the 
prisoners  were  surrendered. 

The  duty  of  a  vessel  of  a  nation  waging  war  toward  neu- 
tral ships,  which  carry  articles,  etc.,  contraband  of  war,  or 
which  are  suspected,  is  to  arrest  and  bring  to  trial,  and  not 
to  make  both  seizure  and  adjudication,  which  would  give  *ihe 
captain  of  every  gunboat  power  to  seize  any  vessel,  and  be 
himself  the  judge  of  his  own  seizure.  The  vessel,  too,  was 
bound  to  its  own,  and  not  to  a  belligerent  port,  and  if  the 
seizure  of  Mason  and  Slidell  could  legally  be  made  on  the 
voyage  from  the  West  Indies  to  England,  might  it  not  have 
been,  "  while  passing  from  Southampton  to  Havre  ?"  The 
people  acquiesced  in  the  decision  made  by  Government,  the 
popular  clamor  subsided,  and  the  absence  of  the  prisoners 
was  no  serious  loss  to  the  country. 

Congress  was  to  meet  in  December,  and  some  of  the  wes 
tern  members,  who  reached  the  capital  during  the  last  days 
of  November,  denounced  the  Fabian  policy  of  McClellan  in 
no  measured  terms,  and  it  became  highly  probable  that  a 
party  would  be  formed  against  him.  He  possessed  the  en- 
tire confidence  of  the  President,  who  had  resolved  to  stand 
firmly  by  him.  It  was  thought  that  the  discovery  of  his  de- 
signs by  the  enemy  delayed  McClellan.  Some  said  that 
he  was  not  ready,  and  nothing  would  make  him  move  until 
be  "was ;  while  others  said  that  the  Secretary  of  War  stood 
in  hia  w&y.  News  now  ca  ne  that  made  the  people  highly 


96      ATTACK   BY    FORT  PICKENS   ON   REBEL   BATTERIES. 

indignant.  This  was  that  the  Nashville,  which  started  with 
Mason  and  Slidell,  had  burned  the  American  merchantman, 
the  Harvey  Birch,  at  sea,  and  brought  her  crew  prisoners 
iDto  English  waters,  and  that  ^.ow  the  same  protection  was 
extended  to  her  as  to  the  ships  of  other  nations.  The  Tus- 
carora,  sent  to  seize  the  pirate  when  she  got  on  the  seas,  had 
also  arrived,  and  was  informed  by  the  English  Government 
that  the  rebel  steamer  must  have  twenty-four  hours'  start 
before  she  could  pursue  her.  This  right  of  all  belligerent 
vessels  which  circumstances  led  to  a  neutral  port,  must  be 
granted  the  rebel  vessel ;  a  concession  that  stirred  up  angry 
passions  in  the  American  people.  The  month  now  drew  to 
a  close.  McClellan,  by  an  order,  prohibited  intemperance 
among  his  troops,  and  encouraged  their  attendance  at  divine 
service.  It  was  thought  that  an  advance  from  Port  Eoyal  to 
the  interior  would  be  made.  It  was  a  question,  what  would 
be  done  with  the  slaves  who  flocked  thither  for  protection. 
Much  cotton  was  burned  at  this  time  by  the  Confederates, 
to  keep  it  out  of  the  possession  of  the  Unionists. 

The  long  expected  attack  of  Fort  Pickens,  in  Florida,  on 
the  rebel  batteries  opposite,  took  place  on  the  22d  of  No- 
vember. The  steamers  Niagara  and  Richmond  took  part  in 
the  contest.  In  consequence  of  a  change  of  wind,  next 
morning  there  was  not  a  sufficient  depth  of  water  for  the 
vessels  to  get  within  effective  range.  The  enemy  had  not 
suffered  much,  though  his  works  were  badly  deranged,  and 
his  winter-quarters  interfered  with.  The  Richmond  had 
one  killed  and  six  wounded.  Fort  Pickens  was  without  a 
breach.  The  cannonade  was  terrible,  but  nine  months  had 
made  the  defences  so  complete  that  no  result  of  importance 
took  place.  Lieutenant  Jewett,  on  the  7th,  \v  ith,  the  fr'gate 
Santee,  burnt  the  schooner  Royal  Yacht  oil*  Calveston 
harbor  an  exploit  of  great  gallantry. 


CHAPTEH  X. 

DICKLJBER  1861. 

OF     CONGRESS — DIFFICULTIES    BEFORE    IT — THE    MILITARY    AVB 
NAVAL   FOBCK8 — ESCAPE     OF    THE    8UMTER — POPE   IN    MISSOURI — TIGHT 

AT      MOUNT     ZION FIGHT     AT      ROWLETT'S     STATION — BATTLE     AT     CAMF 

ALLEGHANY — BATTLE  OF  DRAINSVILLE — STONE  FLEET  AT  CHARLESTON — 
EMBARRASSMENT  OF  THE  PRESIDENT. 

IN  the  beginning  of  the  month,  the  attention  of  the  public 
was  called  to  the  opening  session  of  Congress.  The  army 
raised  had  done  nothing,  McClellan  still  held  his  divisions 
on  the  Potomac.  The  capital  was  blockaded,  the  vast  sums 
voted  to  carry  on  the  war  had  been  expended,  and  were 
found  insufficient.  How  would  Congress,  in  regard  to  the 
great  powers  which  the  President  had  been  obliged  to 
pursue,  act  ?  Would  it  justify  and  sustain,  or  condemn  and 
disallow  his  course  ?  Our  relations  with  foreign  countries! 
were  complicated,  agitation  and  feverish  excitement  per- 
vaded the  masses,  and  the  Cabinet  was  thought  to  be  disu- 
nited. To  whom,  as  a  leading  spirit,  could  the  nation  turn  ? 
Who  was  to  be  the  Joshua  to  lead  the  anxious  people  to 
the  promised  land  ? 

The  President's  Message  was  an  able  state  document 
Its  spirit  was  sanguine,  and  full  of  trust  in  the  prosperous 
issue  of  events,  but  its  deficiency  in  the  warlike  animus 
disappointed  the  popular  sentiment.  The  men  of  the  West, 
themselves  active,  were  for  an  energetic  course.  They  had 
now  an  immense  influence,  and  anxiety  prevailed  as  to 
whether  their  action  would  be  conservative  or  otherwise. 

The  committee  appointed  to  inquire  into  the  system  of 
frauds  which  robbed  the  treasury,  discovered  sad  abuses 
in  the  contract  system,  and  this  was  expected  to  be  fully 
reported.  There  existed  apprehensions,  also,  that  the  wai 
policy  might  be  changed.  It  was  clear  that  the  financial 
difficulties  of  the  country  would  form  an  important  subject 
for  consideration,  and  though  the  utmost  good-will  toward 
the  Government  orevailed,  the  mode  by  which  the  immense 
amounts  required  could  be  raised,  was  a  matter  by  no  meant 
t  (»7) 


98  THE   MILITARY   AND   XAVAL   FORCES. 

obvious.  The  difficulties  in  this  respect  would  not  be  met 
by  an  increased  tariff,  a  direct  tax,  nor  without  a  guarantee 
better  than  the  customs.  The  only  mode  to  be  adopted, 
though  liable  to  many  objections  from  European  precedents, 
was  internal  taxation,  and  Congress  determined  on  the  issue 
of  a  hundred  and  fifty  millions  in  treasury  notes,  the  inteiest 
thereon  to  be  secured  by  a  tax  bill. 

The  Reports  of  the  Secretaries  of  War  and  of  the  Navy 
indicated  the  forces  of  the  country  for  the  military  service, 
and  also  the  number-  of  seamen  and  marines.  These  were 
six  hundred  and  eighty-two  thousand  nine  hundred  and 
seventy-one  soldiers.  Of  these,  the  volunteer  militia 
amounted  to  six  hundred  and  forty-two  thousand  six  hun- 
dred and  thirty -seven.  The  regular  army  numbered  twenty 
thousand  three  hundred  and  thirty-four,  and  seamen  and 
marines  twenty-two  thousand.  The  rebels,  unable  to  raise 
a  force  to  meet  this  immense  levy,  resorted  to  the  unpopular 
method  of  drafting. 

The  news  that  the  Sumter  had  escaped  from  the  port  of 
Martinique,  where  she  had  been  blockaded  for  a  long  time 
by  the  Iroquois,  arrived  in  the  early  part  of  this  month. 
The  country,  greatly  mortified  at  such  an  occurrence,  blamed 
the  commander  of  the  Iroquois,  and  he  was  denounced.  It 
was  afterward  found  that  no  blame  could  be  attached  to 
him,  and  he  was  fully  acquitted. 

In  Missouri,  General  John  Pope  was  in  command  of  all 
the  Federal  troops  between  the  rivers  Missouri  and  Osage, 
including  the  greatest  portion  of  the  army  which  Fremont 
led  to  Springfield.  Strict  orders  against  the  Confederate* 
were  issued  by  Hallcck,  and  the  advantage  of  these  orders-- 
soon became  very  evident. 

In  Arkansas,  a  battle  took  place  near  Bushy  creek, 
between  a  Union  Cherokee  chief,  named  Opothleyholo,  a 
Federal  ally,  and  the  rebels,  commanded  by  Colonel  Cooper. 
The  Chickasaws,  Creeks,  and  Choctaws  fought  against  the 
Union.  The  tragedies  of  savage  Indian  warfare  were  enacted 
here,  and  the  loyal  Indians,  rendered  houseless,  suffered 
much  in  the  inclemency  of  the  severe  winter  season.  Towns 
were  sacked,  and  Missouri  was  one  scene  of  devastation. 
This  state  of  alfairs  was  about  to  undergo  a  change.  Oil 
the  loth,  General  Pope,  with  four  thousand  men,  left  Sedalia, 
intending  to  into  ccpt  the  supplies  and  recruits  for 


FIGHT  AT   MOUNT   Z1ON  99 

army,  on  their  way  south.  After  fifteen  miles'  march,  an 
encampment  was  made,  and  twenty-six  miles  were  traversed 
the  next  day.  When  about  six  miles  from  Chilhowee,  h6 
encountered  the  enemy,  numbering  twenty-two  hundred, 
and  scattered  their  forces.  He  gained  possession  of  their 
cavalry  tents,  baggage,  and  wagons,  pursued  them  all 
day,  and  the  day  and  night  following,  The  pursuit  was  led 
by  Lieutenant-colonel  Brown.  At  Johnstown,  he  heard  that 
the  rebel  force  was  as  low  as  five  hundred.  Colonel  Brown, 
on  the  18th,  joined  the  main  body  advancing  toward 
Warrensburg,  and  the  whole  force  proceeded  in  quest  of  a 
large  body  ot  the  enemy,  supposed  to  be  at  no  great  distance. 
Scouts  found  that  they  were  marching  toward  Milford,  to 
encamp  there.  Pope  came  on  them  in  the  afternoon,  on  the 
Blackwater,  opposite  the  mouth  of  Cedar  creek.  At  this 
place  the  rebels  were  ready  to  dispute  the  passage  of  a  long 
and  narrow  bridge,  to  carry  which,  was  the  order  to  Lieu- 
tenant Gordon,  of  the  Fourth  Ohio  cavalry.  Lieutenant 
Armery  advanced  with  the  regular  cavalry,  and  dismount- 
ing his  men,  and  leaving  every  fourth  man  to  hold  the 
horses,  led  his  force  with  sabres  and  revolvers,  as  skirmish 
ers.  Little  result  was  effected  on  either  side,  till  the  arrival 
of  the  artillery,  when  the  rebels  fled,  pursued  in  hot  hasto 
by  the  cavalry.  They  made  another  stand,  but  being  out- 
flanked, surrendered,  and  Colonel  Davis  returned  to  Pope's 
camp  late  at  night,  where  the  men  salute^  him  with  loud 
cheering.  The  army  moved  back  to  Sedalia  next  day, 
when  much  suffering  was  occasioned  by  the  intense  cold. 
Fifteen  hundred  prisoners,  twelve  hundred  stand  of  arms,  a 
hundred  wagons,  and  army  supplies  fell  to  the  victors.  With 
a  loss  of  only  twelve  men,  the  infantry,  in  five  days,  had 
marched  a  hundred  miles,  and  the  cavalry  twice  that  dis- 
tance. 

On  the  28th,  a  fight  took  place  at  Mount  Zion,  in  Missouri 
On  the  24th,  General  Prentiss,  with  five  companies  of  cavalry 
left  Palmyra  for  Sturgeon,  and  on  hearing  of  a  force  of  th« 
enemy  at  Hallsville,  Boone  county,  sent  forward  Captain 
Howland,  who,  finding  the  enemy  near  the  town,  had  a  skir- 
mish, lost  one  man,  and  then  retired.  On  their  report 
Prentiss  sent  his  cavalry  forward,  with  Colonel  Glover,  and 
five  companies  of  sharpshooters,  under  Colonel  Birge,  in 
all  numbering  four  hundred  and  seventy  men,  who  begw 


100  FIGHT  AT  ROWLETT'S    STATION. 

the  march  at  two  o'clock  in  the  morning.  The  weather  wag 
stormy,  but  the  men  had  marched  eighteen  miles  before 
eight  o'clock.  On  halting,  scouts  reported  the  enemy  near, 
who  were  found  to  be  only  one  company.  On  being  attacked, 
five  rebels  were  killed  and  nine  captured.  From  these  it 
was  found  that  the  enemy  were  in  line  of  battle  near  a 
church  known  as  Mount  Zion,  with  nine  hundred  men.  The 
sharpshooters  tried  to  drive  the  enemy  from  the  woods  but 
did  not  succeed.  When  they  were  falling  back,  Colonol 
Glover  brought  up  reinforcements,  and  the  enemy  now  broke 
and  fled,  leaving  all  the  camp  equipage  and  one  hundred 
horses.  The  battle  lasted  two  hours  in  a  hand  to  hand  contest. 
Federal  loss,  killed  and  wounded,  was  sixty-six.  The  rebels 
lost  one  hundred  and  seventy-five  killed  and  wounded,  and 
thirty  prisoners.  The  wounded  were  well  cared  for. 

Some  days  previous,  a  fight  took  place  at  Eowlett's  sta- 
tion, near  Mumfordville,  Kentucky,  between  a  Confederate 
force  of  one  regiment  of  cavalry,  two  regiments  of  infantry 
and  one  battery,  and  a  Federal  force  consisting  of  a  part  of 
Colonel  Willich's  regiment  of  Indiana  troops,  of  Buell's 
division,  on  duty  as  outposts.  Owing  to  this  disparity  of 
numbers,  the  Indiana  troops  battled  as  skirmishers,  and 
resisted  charges  of  the  cavalry  by  forming  squares,  acting  on 
the  defensive  till  other  companies  of  the  regiment  came  to 
their  aid.  Three  desperate  charges  of  the  enemy  were  gal- 
lantly sustained,  till  Willich  came  upon  the  field  and  took 
the  command.  Before  his  arrival,  the  rebel  commander  was 
slain,  and  now  the  enemy,  although  four  to  one,  being  quite 
broken,  retreated  with  a  loss  of  eighty.  Federal  loss  only 
twenty-eight  in  killed  and  wounded. 

On  the  13th,  General  Milroy,  in  Western  Virginia,  with 
two  thousand  men,  had  a  severe  fight  with  a  like  number  of 
Confederates,  at  Camp  Alleghany,  on  the  summit  of  the  rnoun- 
txns  of  that  name,  not  far  from  Green  Briar  river,  where 
Reynolds,  by  a  bold  and  successful  movement  in  October 
had  outgeneralled  Lee.  On  the  12th,  he  marched  from  morn 
ing  till  eight  o'clock  at  night,  and  the  column  dividing,  one 
body  went  by  the  Green  Bank  road  to  attack  the  left,  while 
the  main  column  took  the  Staunton  turnpike  under  Milroy. 
The  main  column  started  at  ten,  and  the  other  at  eleven 
o'clock  at  night. 

Milroy  marched  on  until  within  half  a  mile  of  the  enemy's 


BATTLE   OF   CAMP   ALLEGHAXY.      .  101 

halted,  reconnoitered,  turned  off,  and  ascended  the 
mountain,  and  after  much  toil  led  his  men  to  its  summit  at 
early  dawn,  and  awaited  the  attack  of  the  column  on  the  left. 
On  the  mountain  crest  they  saw  the  enemy's  pickets,  who  at 
once  fell  back  to  camp.  Seeing  that  they  would  inform  the 
enemy  of  the  approach,  Lieutenant  McDonald  advanced  on 
jhe  rebels  with  a  run,  found  them  in  line  of  battle,  and 
deploying  his  men,  the  battle  began.  The  enemy,  roused 
from  sleep,  did  not  care  to  fight,  and  soon  retired  in  dis- 
order, leaving  their  dead  and  wounded  on  the  field.  They 
rallied,  however,  and  boldly  advancing  to  the  attack,  the 
Federals  faltered,  retired,  and  again  sama  on,  repulsing  an 
attempt  to  turn  the  right  flank.  The  battle,  at  this  point, 
waxed  hot,  and  the  reports  of  the  cannon,  and  the  con- 
tinual crack  of  musketry,  echoed  from  the  mountain.  The 
rebels  alternately  yielded  to  the  Federal  force  which  drove 
them  back  to  their  camp,  and  with  overpowering  numbers 
attempted  to  turn,  now  the  right,  now  the  left  flank.  Each 
attempt  proved  abortive,  but  as  many  of  the  Federals  having 
left  their  ranks  for  the  rear,  and  the  ammunition  being  almost 
exhausted,  with  the  continued  absence  of  the  column  that 
was  to  come  up  on  the  enemy's  left,  McDonald  ordered  hia 
men  to  fall  back.  The  reason  the  other  column  did  not 
come  up  to  make  the  combined  attack,  as  agreed  upon  at 
four  o'clock  in  the  morning,  was  the  difficulty  of  the  ascent, 
rendered  still  worse  by  fallen  trees,  which  blockaded  the 
way.  Thus  each  division  had  to  encounter  the  enemy 
separately,  and  though  each  fought  well,  the  attack  was  » 
failure.  The  Federal  loss  was  one  hundred  and  thirty-seven 
The  enemy's  loss  about  an  equal  number. 

The  inactivity  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  was  now 
broken,  on  the  20th,  by  the  battle  of  Drainesville,  which, 
though  less  in  importance  than  was  attached  to  it  by  the 
newspapers,  had,  at  least,  the  advantage  of  showing  of  what 
material  the  army  was  composed,  and  of  rousing  the  martial 
spirit  of  the  troops  to  meet  the  enemy. 

On  the  20th,  General  McCall  sent  out  a  foraging  party  in 
force,  and  having  found  that  the  rebels  were  in  position  at 
Drainesville,  determined  to  attack  them.  General  Ord  re- 
ceived orders  to  advance  with  his  brigade,  while  General 
Beynolds,  marching  to  Difficult  creek,  would  support  him. 
The  troops  consisted  of  the  Sixth,  Ninth,  Tenth,  a  id  Twelfth 


102  STONE   FLEET  AT  CHARLESTON. 

Pennsylvania  Reserves,  the  first  rifle  regiment,  and  Barton'* 
battery.  Lieutenant-colonel  Kane,  brother  of  the  explorer 
of  that  name,  and  commander  of  the  Bvriktail  rifles,  held  the 
advance,  with  part  of  the  First  Pennsylvania  cavalry  and 
Easton's  battery.  The  enemy  was  encountered  near  Draines- 
ville,  at  half  past  one  o'clock,  and  the  battle  began.  It  took 
some  time  to  find  out  the  true  position  of  a  part  of  the  rebel 
force,  which  the  thick  woods  concealed,  and  the  woods  were 
shelled  by  the  artillery.  An  advance  was  now  made  by  the 
enemy  in  order  to  turn  the  left,  but  this  design  was  frus- 
trated by  General  McCall,  who,  with  his  staff,  was  now  upcn 
the  field.  He  sent  to  Colonel  McCalmot,  who  commanded 
on  the  Federal  left,  to  warn  him  of  the  enemy's  attempt,  and 
the  troops  were  so  disposed  of  as  to  baffle  the  design,  and 
the  foiled  rebels  returned  to  their  position.  On  the  right 
and  centre  of  the  Union  troops,  the  battle  was  now  raging, 
and  the  Ninth  infantry,  commanded  by  Colonel  Jackson, 
had  met  and  overcome  the  rebels.  Meanwhile,  on  the  cen- 
tre, Colonel  Ricketts,  with  the  Sixth  regiment,  and  the 
Bucktail  rifles,  under  Lieutenant-Colonel  Kane,  were  charged 
by  the  enemy,  who  were  handsomely  repulsed.  The  rebels 
retreated,  the  Federal  troops  kept  advancing,  and  the  rout 
became  general.  Two  regiments  were  ordered  in  pursuit, 
but  the  enemy  could  not  be  overtaken.  The  Federal  loss 
was  seven  killed  and  sixty  wounded.  The  rebels  acknow- 
ledged a  loss  of  two  hundred  and  forty.  General  Reynolds' 
brigade  did  not  arrive  in  time  for  the  action. 

Nothing  of  importance,  during  this  month,  took  place  in 
the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  though  there  was  a  brisk  action 
near  Newport  News,  on  the  afternoon  of  the  20th.  The 
"stone  fleet,"  being  sixteen  old  whaling  vessels,  laden  with 
stone,  was  sunk  to  the  bottom,  oft'  Charleston  harbor,  to 
render  the  blockade  efficient.  Many  were  dissatisfied,  and 
it  seemed  as  if  the  harbor  of  Charleston  was  about  to  be 
totally  destroyed.  England  remonstrated,  but  the  British 
Minister  was  told  that  it  was  only  done  to  do  away  with  the 
need  of  guarding  so  many  channels  in  the  harbor,  and  that 
since  the  ships  were  sunk,  English  ships  had  run  the  block- 
ade. The  rebel  Captain  Lynch  cut  out  a  schooner  under 
the  guns  of  Fortress  Monroe,  which  was  humiliating,  and 
made  the  public  indignant.  Drayton  took  the  Bay  of  St 
Helena  and  Tybee  roads,  and  Commodore  Rogers  went  up 


EMBARRASSMENT    07  THE   PRESIDENT.  103 

f-ound  within  ten  miles  of  Savannah.  On  the  16th, 
Dray  ton  explored  the  North  and  South  Edisto  rivers,  and  saw 
only  deserted  plantations  and  numerous  slaves,  and  some  bat- 
teries which  he  could  not  approach.  Mr.  Ely,  member  of  Con 
gress  from  Rochester,  New  York,  returned  to  his  friends 
from  imprisonment.  He  was  captured  at  Bull  Run.  Con- 
gress was  now  weary  of  the  inaction  of  the  army,  and  oppo- 
sition to  McClellan  began  to  appear  more  plainly.  A 
party  was  formed  against  him.  The  President,  however, 
still  relied  confidently  upon  him. 

Perplexing  questions  now  came  before  Congress,  and  the 
difficulty  of  dealing  with  the  question  of  slavery  was  in  no 
way  diminished.  The  abolitionists  demanded  that  the 
course  of  the  army  should  be  followed  by  universal  freedom, 
and  the  conservatives  insisted  that  war  should  place  the 
States  in  statu  quo  as  of  old.  These  opposing  elements  em- 
barrassed the  President,  but,  fortunately,  he  took  a  practical 
view,  and  determined  to  suppress  the  rebellion  first  and 
diapose  of  these  points  of  controversy  afterward. 


CHAPTER   XI. 

JANUARY,   1862. 

• 

mWT  YEA*  AT  THi  OAPITAL — AT  PKNSACOLA — FORT  PICKENS  BOMBARDRD — 
FIGHT  AT  PORT  ROYAL — MILROY  IN  WESTERN  VIRGINIA — JACKSON  TEAK! 
UP  THE  BALTIMORE  AND  OHIO  RAILROAD — FIGHT  WEAR  HANCOCK — FIOliT 
AT  BLUE'S  GAP — BATTLE  AND  VICTORY  OF  OARFIELD,  AT  MIDDLE  CRKKK. 

KENTUCKY POPE  IN  MISSOURI — MATTERS  IW  KENTUCKY — THOMAS  MOVES 

AGAINST  7.0LLICOFFER — BATTLE  OF  MILL  SPRING — BAYONET  CHARGE, 
AND  VICTORY  OF  MCCOOK — CAIRO  EXPEDITION — BURNSIDE  EXPEDITION 
— SAVANNAH — FORT  PULASKI  CUT  OFF — SECRETARY  OF  WAR  CAMERON 
XESIGNS — MONITOR  LAUNCHED. 

WHILE  all  remained  quie.  around  the  Capital,  and  gaiety 
prevailed  at  Richmond,  the  new  year  was  ushered  in  with 
the  roar  of  artillery  on  the  southern  coast.  A  rebel  steamer, 
seen  from  the  direction  of  Fort  Pickens,  flaunting  defiantly 
the  Confederate  flag,  and  on  her  way  toward  Pensacola,  re- 
ceived the  fire  of  the  fort,  and  under  the  storm  of  shot  and 
shell  that  assailed  her,  had  to  retire  as  quickly  as  possible. 
This  brought  on  an  artillery  duel  between  the  fort  and  the 
rebel  shore  batteries,  whicfe  continued  all  day.  Each  being 
well  acquainted  with  the  range  of  the  other,  the  firing  had 
great  precision,  and  while  shells  were  hurled  within  the  fort, 
and  its  massy  walls  stormed,  its  own  powerful  guns  sent 
forth  a  dreadful  storm  on  the  enemy's  batteries.  Nor  did 
night  end  the  combat,  though  the  fort  now  used  only  its 
thirteen  inch  mortars,  while  the  enemy  played  all  his  bat- 
teries. The  scene  was  one  of  terrible  grandeur.  During 
the  night,  the  navy  yard  was  fired  by  the  Federal  shells,  and 
the  lurid  glare  lighting  up  the  midnight  heavens,  was  re- 
flected so  as  to  be  witnessed  forty  miles  off  at  sea.  In  thi 
great  expenditure  of  ammunition,  no  important  result  foJ 
lowed.  In  South  Carolina,  the  enemy  had  concentratec 
near  Port  Royal,  with  the  purpose  of  driving  our  army  from 
Beaufort,  and  our  land  and  naval  forces,  on  New  Year's 
morning,  made  a  combined  attack  to  frustrate  his  design. 
The  naval  force,  commanded  by  Captain  Rodgers,  was  tc 
protect  the  debarkation  of  a  portion  of  the  troops  undei 
General  Stevens,  at  Hay  wood's  landing,  cover  the  route  to 
(104) 


JflLROY   IN    WESTERN    VIRGINIA.  105 

A  dams'  plantation,  and  then  tho  landing  of  the  remainder. 
The  Federals  took  possession  of  the?  battery,  from  which 
they  drove  the  rebels  to  Port  Royal  feriy.  The  resistance 
was  feeble,  the  Federals  losing  only  ten  or  twelve  killed  and 
wounded,  out  of  about  three  thousand  men.  The  enemy 
was  driven  inward  five  miles,  his  work"  destroyed,  and 
the  Broad  and.  Coosaw  rivers,  which  he  intended  to  close 
•aid  open  to  the  navigation  of  our  gunboats  and  transports 

On  the  night  before  New  Year's,  General  Milroy,  ill 
Western  Virginia,  sent  seven  hundred  men  and  some  cav- 
alry, under  the  command  of  Major  Webster,  to  destroy  a 
quantity  of  the  enemy's  stores  at  Huntsville,  in  Pocahontaa 
county.  The  bugle  sounded  on  the  cold  New  Year's  morn- 
ing, and  the  men,  leaving  the  cheerful  blaze  of  their  camp 
fires,  marched  twelve  miles,  and  at  the  foot  of  Elk  mountain, 
where  the  pine  groves  abounded,  encamped.  Proceeding, 
they  saw  the  enemy  at  a  bridge  over  Green  Briar  river,  six 
miles  from  Huntsville.  A  detachment  pursued  them  to 
within  two  miles  of  the  town,  where  again  encountering, 
after  a  skirmish,  the  rebels  retreated,  and  their  cavalry  at 
length  made  some  show  of  resistance,  but  the  Federals  rush- 
ing on,  they  fled,  their  whole  force  doing  the  same,  and 
Webster  having  accomplished  his  design,  returned.  The 
rebel  General  Thomas  Jackson,  at  Winchester,  started  on 
an  expedition  on  New  Year's  day,  to  drive  out  the  Federal 
forces  which  lay  scattered  between  him  and  the  Potomac, 
and  to  destroy  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  railroad.  On  the 
4th,  near  Bath,  the  rebels  surprised  forty  men  of  the  Thirty- 
ninth  Illinois,  who  were  scouting,  killed  one,  and  took  eight 
prisoners.  The  regiment  at  Bath  opened  on  them  with 
artillery,  and  Colonel  Murray,  with  the  Eighty -fourth  Penn- 
sylvania, crossing  the  river  to  the  assistance  of  the  regiment, 
took  the  command,  but  ordering  a  retreat  soon  after,  aban- 
doned his  stores  and  camp  equipage  to  the  enemy.  On  the 
retreat  an  artillery  fire  was  kept  up,  and  the  regiment  passed 
in  safety  to  Hancock,  on  the  Maryland  side.  Next  day,  at 
dawn,  the  enemy  began  to  shell  the  town,  but  did  little 
damage,  and  was  satisfied  with  tearing  up  the  railroad  track. 
General  Lander  arrived  in  the  meantime,  and  prepared  to 
defend  the  town.  The  rebels  made  no  further  attempt,  how 
ever,  and  retired,  taking  a  few  prisoners  with  them. 

On   the   7th,  an  expedition  from  Kelly's  command,  al 


106  BJLTTLE   AT   MIDLLE   CREEK. 

Komney,  set  out  for  Blue's  Gap.  Marching  through  snow 
six  inches  deep,  the  men  advanced  fourteen  miles,  and  on  a 
cold  wintry  morning  reached  the  enemy's  outposts,  who 
turned  and  fled.  The  order  "  forward,  double-quick,"  from 
Colonel  Dunning,  sent  the  spirited  troops  on  with  shouta. 
They  found  the  enemy  prepared  to  receive  them,  in  the  gap 
between  two  precipices,  through  which  the  gorge,  from 
twenty  to  thirty  feet  wide,  had  a  road  which  was  skirted  by 
a  stream.  Here  the  enemy  had  two  cannon  in  position, 
while  a  rifle  pit  protected  him  on  the  north.  The  enemy 
attempted  to  tear  up  a  bridge  across  the  stream,  but  the 
advance  of  the  Federals  was  on  them,  and  they  soon  crossed 
over.  Colonel  Dunning  sent  the  Fifth  Ohio  to  charge  the 
rifle  pits,  the  Fourth  to  scale  the  precipitous  mountain,  and 
the  Seventh  to  advance  along  the  road,  when  the  fight 
began.  The  Fourth  and  Fifth  had  accomplished  their  de- 
signs before  the  centre  column  got  into  action.  Of  the  two 
thousand  men  whom  the  rebels  brought  up,  forty  were  killed, 
and  the  same  number  captured.  Much  spoil,  in  cattle, 
ammunition  and  stores,  fell  to  the  victorious  little  band, 
which  now  returned  to  camp. 

On  the  same  day,  Colonel  Garfield  left  Muddy  creek, 
Kentucky,  and  advanced  in  the  direction  of  Paintsville,  in 
Johnston  county,  to  attack  five  thousand  men  in  that  vicinity, 
under  Humphrey  Marshall,  who,  hearing  of  this  approach, 
left  three  hundred  cavalry  at  the  mouth  of  Jennie  creek, 
near  Paintsville,  as  a  corps  of  observation,  and  retreated  to 
Middle  creek,  about  two  miles  from  Prestonburg.  Garfield 
pushed  on  to  Prestonburg,  fifteen  miles  off,  with  twelve 
hundred  men,  and  arriving  within  a  mile  of  the  place, 
at  eight  o'clock,  found  the  enemy  encamped  three  miles 
distant,  up  the  creek.  He  sent  back  to  Paintsville  for  all 
the  available  forces.  Again  advancing,  he  encamped  his 
men  on  the  top  of  a  wooded  hill,  in  a  pelting  storm,  in 
which  they  slept  on  their  arms.  After  a  hasty  breakfast 
next  morning,  the  troops  pushed  on  a  mile  up  the  creek,  and 
crossed  over  to  Middle  creek,  which  falls  into  Big  Shanty 
opposite  to  Prestonburg.  Colonel  Garfield,  who  though* 
that  the  enemy  were  encamped  on  Abbot's  creek,  moved 
up  toward  Middle  creek  cautiously,  throwing  out  skir- 
mishers, and  had  not  gone  further  than  two  miles,  to  the 
mouth  of  Middle  creek,  when  he  found  the  enemy  in  position. 


DEFEAT  OF  THE  REBELS.  107 

A  thousand  yards  off.  By  skirmishers  sent  to  feel  the  enemy 
he  found  that  one  regiment  was  posted  on  the  same  ridge 
as  himself,  on  the  left  of  the  road,  and  commanding  it.  An- 
other regiment  was  on  the  right,  and  between  was  the  artil- 
lery. The  intention  was  to  draw  Garfield  along  the  road 
between  two  fires,  and  annihilate  him.  Garfield,  however, 
seeing  through  the  design,  sent  two  companies  of  Kentucki- 
ans  along  the  crest  of  the  ridge,  and  an  Ohio  company  across 
the  creek,  to  capture  a  spur  of  a  rocky  ridge,  on  the  froEt 
and  left  of  the  rebels.  Scon  the  enemy's  cannon  and  mus- 
ketry, in  reply,  told  Garfield  that  the  detachment  to  the  left 
was  heavily  engaged,  and  he  hurried  up  reinforcements. 
Then  a  fierce  contest  raged.  The  enemy  got  possession  of 
the  main  ridge,  almost  opposite  Garfield's  position,  and  began 
a  heavy  fire  on  his  reserves.  Lieutenant-colonel  Monroe 
was  now  ordered  to  cross  the  creek  and  attack  the  enemy, 
to  prevent  a  flank  movement,  and  this  was  gallantly  done. 
While  thus  engaged,  Colonel  Cramer  and  Major  Pardee 
fought  against  three  times  their  number,  and  drove  the  rebels 
up  the  ridge  in  handsome  style.  With  a  thousand  fresh 
troops,  Garfield  saw  victory  within  his  grasp  ;  but  when  he 
considered  that  his  brave  men  were  contending  with  over- 
whelming odds,  and  that  the  conflict  must  be  sustained  for 
hours,  he  became  anxious  as  to  the  result.  Day  was  closing, 
and  the  enemy  yet  held  the  rugged  heights,  behind  which 
the  sun  was  just  retiring.  Shouts  now  rent  the  skies.  The 
reinforcements  had  arrived.  Without  breakfast,  and  after 
a  toilsome  march  through  deep  mud,  Lieutenant-colonel 
Sheldon  had  led  the  Forty-second  Ohio  fifteen  miles, 
the  two  last  at  a  run,  and  now,  mud-stained,  hungry,  and 
exhausted  as  they  were,  the  demand  was  made,  with  loud 
clamor,  to  be  led  against  the  rebels.  When  Garfield  saw 
the  glittering  bayonets  dancing  in  the  sunlight,  he  gave  a 
loud  exclamation  of  joy,  prepared  for  the  last  encounter,  and 
ordered  up  Lieutenant-colonel  Brown  with  the  entire  reserve. 
The  hour  had  now  arrived  to  decide  the  contest,  and  hurl- 
ing his  bold  squadrons  upon  the  foe,  he  pushed  him  up  the 
hill  and  over  the  crest  of  the  ridges,  till  the  curtain  of  night 
fell  on  a  retreating  enemy.  Waiting  for  day  to  complete 
the  work  begun,  no  foe  appeared.  The  victorious  troops 
next  day  entered  the  deserted  town  of  Prestonburg.  The 
Federal  loss  was  less-  than  thirty,  while  seventy -fi"e  of  the 


108  MJLTTKRS    IK    KENTUCKY. 

enemy's  dead  on  the  field  told  that  he  had  suffered  severe 
punishment.  No  provisions  being  at  this  place,  Garfield  led 
his  troops  back  to  Paintsville.  Meanwhile,  Pope,  in  Mis- 
souri, on  the  8th,  sent  Major  Torrence  from  Booneville, 
who  encountered  the  enemy  near  Silver  creek,  strotgly 
posted  amid  ravines,  woods,  and  underbrush.  He  dis- 
mounted the  cavalry,  and,  followed  by  the  infantry,  as- 
sailed the  enemy,  and  won  the  day,  after  a  severe  contest. 
The  enemy  lost  three  times  the  number  of  the  Federals, 
whose  loss  amounted  to  twenty-five  killed  and  wounded. 

On  the  10th,  Porter,  who  commanded  a  part  of  the  gun- 
boat fleet  on  the  Mississippi,  met  the  foe  moving  up 
from  Columbus,  and  in  a  contest  which  followed,  drove  him 
back  under  the  guns  of  his  fort. 

Newspaper  correspondents  were,  at  this  time,  kept  in  great 
mystery  as  to  army  movements,  and  the  public  thought  that 
hostilities  would  not  begin  before  spring.  Ere  the  month 
closed,  however,  a  series  of  heavy  blows  was  begun,  which 
went  far  to  clear  the  great  Mississippi  valley. 

The  rebel  line  of  defence  in  Kentucky,  ran  from  Columbus, 
on  the  Mississippi,  to  the  Alleghanies.  Bowling  Green, 
about  midway,  was  commanded  by  General  Johnston. 
Eastward,  toward  the  mountains,  was  a  large  force,  under 
General  Felix  Zollicoffer,  who  had  taken  up  a  position  on 
the  Cumberland  river  early  in  the  winter,  near  Mill  Spring. 
Against  the  rebel  line  of  defences,  General  Grant  and  Com 
modore  Foote,  with  the  gunboats,  were  about  advancing  on 
the  west,  General  Thomas  on  the  east,  near  the  mountains, 
and  General  Buell  on  Bowling  Green,  the  centre.  Thomas 
had  led  his  advance,  by  the  17th,  as  far  as  Logan's  cross- 
roads, within  ten  miles  of  which  lay  the  strong  intrench- 
ments  of  Zollicoffer.  Bad  roads  detained  the  rest  of  his 
command,  so  that  Thomas  awaited  their  arrival.  General 
Crittenden  had  assumed  the  command  of  the  rebels  early  in 
the  month,  and  thought  that  the  position  might  be  able  to 
hold  out  against  any  force  which  Thomas  could  bring 
against  it.  Crittenden  determined  to  attack  the  latter,  and 
destroy  the  advance  before  the  rest  of  the  Unionists  cams 
up.  Meditating  a  surprise,  therefore,  he  led  eight  thousand 
men  from  camp,  on  the  19th  (Sunday),  and  a  courier  dashed 
up  to  the  head-quarters  cf  Colonel  Manson,  of  the  Tenth  In- 
diana, who  commanded  t  le  advance,  at  eight  o'clock  in  th* 


BVTTL1   OF   MILL   SPRING.  101 

morning,  to  report  that  the  enemy  was  at  hand.  Th«  long 
roll  beat,  the  regiment  rushed  to  arms,  and  heavy  picket 
firing  indicated  that  the  news  was  correct.  A  company 
supported  the  pickets,  while  the  rest  of  the  regiment  ad- 
vanced to  within  seventy  yards  of  the  enemy,  and  formed  in 
line  of  battle.  Three  rebel  regiments  poured  a  destructive 
fire  upon  the  Indiana  troops,  who  held  their  ground  gal- 
lantly for  an  hour,  and  then  fell  back.  At  this  crisis,  the 
Fourth  Kentucky,  under  Colonel  Frey,  came  up  on  their  left, 
and,  after  a  deadly  volley,  Colonel  Manson  again  formed 
his  left  wing  in  line  of  battle.  The  Fourth  Kentucky  was 
seen  to  hold  its  ground  well,  as  General  Thomas  rode  on 
the  field,  and  observed  the  enemy  trying  to  gain  its  left 
flank.  The  ammunition  of  his  men  was  now  unfortunately 
giving  out,  yet  the  determination  was,  to  fight  to  the  last 
against  the  overwhelming  forces  on  their  front  and  flank.  In 
this  crisis,  Thomas  sent  to  the  aid  of  the  brave  troops  the 
Ninth  Ohio  and  Second  Minnesota,  under  Colonel  McCook. 
This  officer  rapidly  advanced,  and  occupied  a  position  on 
the  right  and  left  of  the  Mill  Spring  road.  On  his  way 
through  the  woods  to  meet  the  enemy,  he  came  up  with  the 
Fourth  Kentucky,  which  was  retiring,  and  the  Indianians, 
who  were  waiting  for  ammunition.  He  moved  his  men  by 
the  flank,  to  the  ground  which  these  exhausted  regiments 
had  left,  and  advanced  until  within  a  few  feet  of  the  enemy. 
To  guard  against  being  outflanked,  the  Ninth  Ohio  then 
closed  rapidly,  and  a  terrible  conflict  ensued,  in  which  the 
combatants  almost  touched,  each,  the  muzzle  of  the  other's 
guns.  The  rebels,  being  unable  to  resist  the  deadly  fire  of 
the  Minnesotians,  took  refuge  behind  some  piled  up  rails, 
and  held  their  ground  desperately  half  an  hour.  In  front 
of  the  Ninth  Ohio,  a  log  house,  stable,  and  corn-crib  pro- 
tected the  enemy,  and,  although  these  were  taken  by 
McCook,  they  continued  to  hold  their  ground  with  much 
obstinacy.  McCook  determined  on  a  bayonet  charge,  by 
the  Ninth  Ohio.  The  enemy  stood  firm ;  onward  pressed 
the  dreadful  line ;  the  rebels  swayed  to  and  fro,  and,  before 
the  shock,  broke  and  fled  in  ignominious  rout.  A  bullet 
penetrated  McCook's  horse,  one  his  coat,  and  another  his  leg, 
but  he  continued  to  lead  the  column.  Shouts  now  rent  the 
air,  and  the  victory  was  won.  Genearl  Zollicoffer  was 
killed,  being  shot  by  Colonel  Frey,  of  the  Fourth  Kentucky. 
10 


110  THE    BURNSIDE   EXPEDITION. 

Thomas  reformed  his  regiments,  and  pursued  the  flying 
enemy  to  his  intrenchments,  and  cannonaded  him  until  dark. 
He  might  have  captured  the  whole  army,  but,  unaware  of  its 
real  strength,  was  reluctant  to  attempt  it  in  the  darknesa, 
and  postponed  the  attack  till  morning.  The  enemy,  how- 
ever, had  abandonnd  their  works  in  the  night,  and  fled  across 
ne  river  in  great  confusion.  In  them  were  found  twelve 
pieces  of  artillery,  a  hundred  and  fifty-six  wagons,  a  thousand 
horses  and  mules,  and  large  quantities  of  muskets,  ammuni- 
tion, and  camp  equipage.  Thomas  was  unable  to  pursue 
the  enemy  across  the  river.  They  were  a  disorganized  mass 
as  it  was  found  afterward,  and  on  their  flight,  the  way 
which  marked  it  was  full  of  their  wounded.  Our  loss  in 
this  battle,  was  one  hundred  and  eighty-six  killed  and 
wounded ;  that  of  the  enemy,  as  far  as  known,  three  hundred 
and  forty-nine.  By  this  brilliant  victory,  the  line  of  rebel 
defence  in  Kentucky  was  broken,  and  it  rendered  a  flank 
movement  possible,  though  resistance  should  be  made  in  the 
centre,  and  on  the  Mississippi. 

On  the  10th,  General  McClernand  set  out  from  Cairo> 
with  five  thousand  men — infantry  and  cavalry — and  scoured 
all  the  country  south  of  the  Ohio  toward  Columbus.  The 
marches  were  difficult  and  tedious,  but  nothing  of  any  con- 
siderable importance  resulted  from  the  expedition. 

The  famous  Burnside  expedition,  which  sailed  from 
Hampton  Koads  on  the  llth,  though  long  preparing,  and 
cherished  with  great  expectation,  ended  in  disappointment 
to  the  public.  It  consisted  of  a  naval  force,  under  Golds 
borough,  of  twenty-three  gunboats,  all  steamers  but  three, 
and  twenty  thousand  troops,  under  Burnside.  Part  of  it 
was  encountered  by  a  fierce  storm  in  Pamlico  sound,  and  lay 
there,  dismantled.  Some  of  the  vessels  foundered  on  the  bar 
in  Hatteras  inlet,  which  could  not  be  crossed  by  anj 
eftbrta.  The  largest  of  the  vessels  were  contracted  to  re- 
quire only  a  certain  depth  of  water,  but  many,  drawing 
more,  were  entirely  unfit  for  the  purpose,  and  useless. 

The  propeller  City  of  New  York  foundered  on  the  bar, 
and  thirty  vessels  in  sight  could  lend  her  no  relief.  She 
contained  ammunition,  blankets,  tents,  and  stores,  and  her 
loss  would  be  terrible  to  the  expedition.  The  crew  was 
saved,  but  the  V3ssel  was  a  total  wreck.  The  steamboat 
Zouave  sunk  as  she  ay  at  anchor,  and  a  transport  with 


SAVANNAH-—  FOUT   PULASKI    CUT   OFF.  Ill 

stores  went  down  on  the  bar.  The  Ann  E.  Thompson,  witt 
die  Ninth  New  Jersey  volunteers,  lay  outside,  and  Colone] 
Allen  and  Surgeon  Weller  took  a  boat  to  report  her  condi- 
tion. They  crossed  the  bar  through  the  inlet,  and  carried 
out  their  dangerous  attempt,  but  returning,  the  boat  swamped, 
and  they  both  perished.  Burnside  was  now  in  a  distressing 
situation — his  fine  fleet  was  scattered  and  wrecked,  the  am 
munition  was  sunk  in  the  sea,  and  the  best  vessels,  unabl* 
to  cross  the  bar,  lay  tossing  outside.  They  were  now 
lightened,  with  immense  labor,  and  at  last  crossed  the  bar 
but  stdrrn  after  storm  threatened  to  complete  the  work  of 
destruction,  and  the  great  pains  to  keep  the  precise  point 
against  which  the  expedition  was  to  operate,  a  secret  to  the 
enemy,  proved  in  vain,  and  he  had  time  for  ample  prepara- 
tions. Surprise  was  now  out  of  the  question,  and  whatever 
was  done,  must  be  performed  by  hard  fighting,  while,  for 
the  present  at  least,  this  great  naval  force  must  remain 
inactive. 

Events  were  now  occurring  of  a  more  fortunate  character 
for  the  Union,  on  the  Georgia  coast,  which  afforded  hopes 
that  the  patriots  would  soon  be  in  possession  of  Fort 
Pulaski,  or  even  the  fair  city  of  Savannah.  At  Port  Eoyal 
Sherman  had  pushed  his  reconnoissances  up  through  dif- 
ferent inlets,  which  run  from  the  river  Savannah  through 
the  immense  marshes  that  border  on  the  sea.  His  purpose 
was  to  try  if  any  way  could  be  found  to  reach  Savannah 
without  passing  Fort  Pulaski.  Lieutenant  Wilson  found 
hid  v»'ay,  with  great  labor,  through  Mud  and  Wright  rivers, 
to  Savannah,  and  reported  them  capable  of  receiving  gun- 
boats, and  boats  of  light  draught.  Another  passage  found 
was  on  the  right  of  Savannah,  and  communicating  with 
Wilmington  sound.  Sherman  made  use  of  these,  and 
finally  cut  off  Fort  Pulaski  from  Savannah.  Batteries 
frowned  on  the  mud  banks,  little  above  water  level,  and 
guns  were  mounted  where  the  rebels  deemed  it  impracti- 
cable. At  last  Sherman  occupied  an  island  in  the  river, 
which  shut  up  Tatnall's  fleet,  and  the  people  of  Savannah 
were  filled  with  apprehensions.  The  soldiers,  on  these  ex- 
peditions, endured  more  severe  trials  than  on  the  battle 
field,  and  their  great  energy  and  indomitable  perseverance 
earned,  merited,  and  obtained  the  highest  praise. 

An  important  change  tx>k  place  in  the  Federal  Cabinet 


Ill  IfOlHTOR    LAUNCH K I). 

on  the  13th,  by  which  Simon  Cameron,  Secretary  of  War 
was  notified  by  Mr.  Lincoln  that  he  was  relieved  from  the 
duties  of  his  office,  and  that  he  had  been  appointed  Minister 
Plenipotentiary  to  Eussia,  in  place  of  Cassius  M.  Clay. 
Mr.  Edwin  M.  Stanton,  an  eminent  lawyer,  originally  of 
Ohio,  but  then  resident  in  Washington — a  War  Democrat—- 
was appointed  in  the  place  of  the  retiring  secretary. 

The  Ericsson  floating  battery,  declared  by  her  inventor 
to  be  shot  proof,  was  launched  on  the  30th,  destined 
for  the  Atlantic  coast.  Her  deck,  just  above  water,  was 
surmounted  by  an  iron  revolving  turret,  and  pierced  for 
only  two  heavy  guns.  She  was  a  great  curiosity  of  naval 
architecture,  and  was  destined,  in  a  few  days,  to  avert  dis- 
aste*"'  such  as  might  make  patriots  tremble  to  think  of, 
star-..*)  the  nations,  and  effect  a  complete  revolution  in  naval 
warfare,  hitherto  unknown. 

Mere  skirmishing  took  place  this  month,  compared  with 
the  movements  about  to  be  inaugurated.  The  Government 
saw  that  the  great  valley  of  the  Mississippi  must  be  wrested 
from  the  enemy.  On  account  of  the  great  strength  of 
Bowling  Green  and  Columbus,  a  plan  for  breaking  the 
rebel  line  of  defence  by  the  Tennessee  and  Cumberland 
rivers  had  long  been  considered.  These  rivers  discharge 
into  the  Ohio,  and  in  the  State  of  Kentucky  are  nearly 
parallel,  and  but  little  apart.  In  the  winter  they  can  navi- 
gate steamers  of  the  first  class.  Where  they  cross  the  Ten- 
nessee line  they  are  only  twelve  miles  apart,  and  here  the 
enemy  had  erected  two  strong  forts — that  of  Donelson,  on 
the  Cumberland,  and  Fort  Henry,  on  the  Tennessee  river. 
The  possession  of  these  forts  would  effectually  turn  both 
Bowling  Green  and  Columbus,  and  their  abandonment  be 
made  necessary.  Fort  Henry  was  to  be  first  attacked,  and 
Halleck,  to  make  success  sure,  resolved  to  move  against  it 
by  land  and  water,  simultaneously.  While  Grant  led  a 
large  land  force  from  Cairo  to  attack  the  fort  in  flank  and 
rear,  Foote  was  ordered  to  engage  the  batteries  in  front 
with  seven  gunboats. 


CHAPTER 

FEBRUARY,  1862. 

•  XriOITlONS  AGAINST  TORTS  HENRY  AND  DONELBON — P"»«r  HENRY  CA* 
TUBED  BY  THE  GUNBOATS  UNDER  FOOTE — FORT  DONBi^ON  INVE8TKD 
—ATTACKED  BY  FOOTE  WITH  THE  GUNBOATS — GENERAL  ASSAULT  DETER- 
MINED ON  BT  GRANT — THE  ATTACK  AND  VICTORY — N-WS  OF  THE  SUR- 
RENDER AT  NASHVILLE — THE  REBELS  FLEB  SOUTHWARD — CURTIS  DRIVES 
PRICK  FROM  MISSOURI — BURNSIDE's  GREAT  FLEET  ATTACKS  ROANOKB 

ISLAND THE    BATTLE    AND    VICTORY — CAPTAIN     ROWAN    ATTACKS    THE 

REBEL    FLEET    AT    ELIZABETH     CITY — EDENTON  CAPTURED — BURNING   OF 
WINTON — CANBY  ON    THE  RIO    GRANDE. 

ON  the  5th  of  February,  the  expedition  against  Fort  Henry 
set  out,  sailed  up  the  Tennessee  river,  and  the  infantry 
landed  within  four  miles  of  the  fort.  Captain  Andrew  H. 
Foote  reconnoitered,  ascertained  the  position  of  the  batteries, 
and  removed  torpedoes  which  had  been  sunk  in  the  river 
to  blow  up  the  vessels.  The  fleet  anchored  at  night,  abreast 
of  Grant's  encampment,  and  the  combined  attack  was  to 
begin  next  morning.  All  was  prepared  for  the  great  strug- 

fle  about  to  commence,  and,  after  hurrying  up  Grant  with- 
is  forces,  Foote  advanced  toward  the  fort  at  ten  o'clock. 
Its  situation  was  on  a  bend  of  the  river,  and  such  as,  for 
some  distance  down,  to  command  it.  The  long  range  of  the 
guns  was  escaped  by  keeping  the  boats  behind  an  island  in 
the  river,  and  the  iron-clads  moved  slowly,  and  abreast,  on 
the  batteries,  while  the  wooden  vessels  followed  in  the  rear. 
In  full  view  of  the  fort,  the  wooden  vessels  stopped,  and  the 
Cincinnati,  St.  Louis,  Carondelet,  and  Essex,  moved  on 
slowly.  In  a  moment,  they  were  assailed  by  a  storm  of 
shot  and  shell,  and  the  dense  smoke  which  issued  from  the 
fleet  told  that  the  contest  had  commenced.  The  enemy 
having  the  range  of  our  vessels,  the  fire  of  the  fort  was  very 
effective.  The  Federal  fire  was  slow  and  well  aimed,  and 
produced  terriV.e  effect  on  the  guns  of  the  enemy.  The 
rebel  infantry  fled  from  the  screaming  shells  which  exploded 
about  them,  but  the  garrison,  under  General  Tilghman,  kept 
up  a  steady  fire,  which  was  not  slackened  on  the  bursting  of 
their  heavy  rifled  piece,  or  the  flying  around  them  of  sand- 

(113) 


•14  CAPTURE   OF  FORT  HENRT. 

bags,  and  earth,  and  shrieking  shells.  The  chief  attention 
of  the  garrison  was  directed  to  the  Cincinnati  and  Essex, 
which  never  flinched  From  the  storm  that  poured  on  them, 
but,  in  the  flame  and  «moke,  pushed  nearer  and  nearer  to 
the  fort,  and  sent  their  shot  with  such  precision  as  to  dis- 
mount one  after  another  of  the  enemy's  guns.  Terror  wag 
carried  to  the  inhabitants  far  inland,  as  the  heavy  reverber- 
*jions  shook  the  shore. 

After  an  hour's  severe  conflict;  a  twenty -four  pound  shot 
vas  carried  through  a  port  hole  of  the  Essex,  crushing  the 
head  of  young  Britain,  an  aid  of  Porter's,  who  was  watch- 
ing the  effect  of  his  shot.  The  deadly  missile  sped  on, 
crushing  the  massy  oak  planking  round  the  machinery, 
and  penetrating  the  boiler,  from  which  the  rushing  steam, 
with  fearful  sound,  affrighted  the  crew.  All  was  disorder, 
and,  in  the  agony  of  suffocation,  some  cast  themselves  into 
the  river  from  the  port  holes,  while  the  two  pilots  made 
desperate  efforts  to  get  out  of  the  pilot-house.  Stretching 
their  arms  in  fearful  distress  through  the  look-outs,  they 
fell  at  last,  gasping  and  completely  asphyxiated.  Captain 
Porter  was  severely  scalded,  and  twenty-eight  officers  and 
men  besides,  were  killed  or  disabled  by  the  effect  of  this 
single  shot.  The  rebels  sprang  to  their  guns  with  redoubled 
efforts,  when  they  saw  the  boat  compelled  to  drop  out  of  the 
battle.  But  there  was  no  cessation  of  the  fire,  and  Foote 
moved  steadily  on  in  his  orbit  of  destruction,  with  the  other 
three  vessels,  till  he  stood  some  six  hundred  yards  from  the 
fort.  The  enemy's  guns  were  mostly  dismounted,  and 
Tilghman  was  obliged  to  surrender. 

Victory  was  won  in  a  battle  of  one  hour  and  twenty 
minutes.  Grant's  road  being  muddy,  he  did  not  arrive 
hefore  the  capture  of  the  fort.  When  he  arrived,  half  an 
hour  after,  he  assumed  the  command.  Our  loss  in  killed, 
wounded,  and  missing,  was  forty-eight.  The  Cincinnati 
was  struck  thirty-one  times,  the  Essex  fifteen,  the  St.  Louis 
seven,  and  the  Carondelet  six.  Between  sixty  and  seventy 
men,  and  sixty  invalids,  surrendered,  and  twenty,  mostly 
heavy  guns,  barracks,  and  tents  for  fifteen  thousand  men, 
fell  into  the  hands  of  the  victors. 

On  the  fall  of  Fort  Henry,  public  expectation  looked  to 
Fort  Donelson,  on  the  Cumberland,  twelve  miles  from  fort 
Henry,  in  a  stronger  and  more  important  position,  and  with 


FORT   DONELSOX   INVESTED.  116 

d  garrison  of  fifteen  thousand  men.  The  possession  of  Fort 
Donelson  would  give  the  Federals  the  key  of  Nashville, 
and  render  the  evacuation  of  Bowling  Green  imperative.  It 
had  been  the  design  of  Buell,  for  a  long  time,  to  capture 
this  fort,  but  the  destruction  of  bridges,  and  the  machina- 
tions of  the  enemy  had  hitherto  been  an  impediment. 

On  the  llth,  five  days  after  the  surrender  of  Fort  Henry, 
six  regiments,  commanded  by  Generals  McClernand  and 
Smith,  were  sent  off  by  water,  and  next  day  Grant  moved 
across  the  country  with  fifteen  thousand  troops.  On  arriv- 
ing within  two  miles  of  the  fort,  he  drove  in  the  enemy's 
pickets,  and  though  Foote  had  not  yet  arrived,  the  place 
was  completely  invested.  General  Lewis  Wallace  wa« 
ordered  to  assault  the  middle  redoubt  with  three  Illinois 
regiments,  under  Colonel  Hayne.  They  advanced  in  line 
of  battle  across  ravines,  and  climbed  gallantly  the  steep 
heights  on  which  the  redoubt  was  situated,  receiving,  with 
undaunted  courage,  the  terrible  fire  of  musketry  which 
assailed  them  from  behind  embankments.  The  line  not 
being  found  of  sufficient  length  to  surround  the  works,  the 
Forty-fifth  Illinois  regiment  advanced  to  its  support.  Strong 
reinforcements  of  rebel  troops  and  cannon  soon  poured  in  a 
deadly  fire,  but  the  brave  men  kept  advancing  till  they 
came  near  the  works,  where  the  defences,  made  of  long  polea 
and  brushwood,  presented  such  a  sharpened  and  jagged 
appearance  as  to  be  impossible  to  force  through.  The  ad- 
vance was  impossible,  and  the  troops  had  to  fall  back. 
Colonel  Morrison  was  wounded  at  the  head  of  the  Forty- 
ninth  Illinois,  and  many  gallant  officers  and  men  fell  in  the 
dreadful  content.  The  troops  lay  down  within  range  of  the 
enemy's  guis,  unsheltered,  and  without  fire  ;  and  as  nigH 
came  on,  heavy  rain  fell,  and  then  sleet  and  snow,  with  fitfuJ 
gusts  of  wind.  During  the  intervals  of  the  storm,  the  sound 
of  picket  firing  was  borne  to  the  ears  of  these  brave  men, 
and  the  murmurs  in  front,  suppressed  as  they  were,  told 
these  gallant  spirits,  who  had  lain  twelve  hours  in  the  pelt- 
ing storm,  that  the  enemy  was  being  reinforced.  The 
works  were  very  strong,  Two  batteries  were  placed  on  the 
river  side.  The  lower  one  had  eight  thirty-two  pounders, 
and  a  ten  inch  columbiad ;  the  upper,  two  thirty  pound  car 
ronades,  and  a  thirty-two  pound  rifled  gun. 

The  main  fort  was  on  a  high  ridge  in  the  rear.     A  deep 


J1(J  FOOTR   ATTACKS   THE   TO*T. 

gorge  cut  on  the  south,  and  in  front,  rifle  pits  ran  m  *  line, 
protected  by  brush  and  fallen  trees,  so  as  to  render  them  a 
most  formidable  obstruction.  Cannon  in  the  rear  of  the 
works,  commanded  the  country  a  considerable  distance. 

Grant  made  a  line  parallel  to  that  of  the  enemy,  and 
extended  his  wings  right  and  left  to  the  river,  sui rounding 
the  works.  M«?anwhile,  Foote,  on  the  14th,  came  up  with 
his  gunboats  to  the  attack,  and  with  four  iron-dads  in  front, 
and  two  wooden  vessels  in  the  rear,  moved  up  until  within 
range,  and  then  opened  fire.  There  was  little  fear  for  th« 
vessels,  as  the  Carondelet,  the  day  before,  had  sustained  the 
fire  of  the  batteries  with  little  damage.  The  boats  steered 
straight  for  the  batteries,  and  when  within  close  range,  the 
fire  became  terrible.  The  well-served  guns  of  the  enemy 
struck  the  advancing  boats  with  all  the  force  of  their  heavy 
metal,  casting  up  the  water,  and  filling  the  air  with  burst- 
ing shells,  amid  which  the  vessels  proceeded. 

The  fight  had  lasted  an  hour  and  a  quarter.  The  flag- 
ship had  received  fifty-nine  shots.  Foote  laid  his  hands  on 
the  shoulder  of  the  nervous  pilot  to  encourage  him ;  the 
latter  was  killed  by  a  shot,  which  also  wounded  Foote.  Ad- 
vancing within  a  hundred  yards  of  the  batteries,  their  fire 
slackened  under  the  storm  of  shells  which  burst  around 
them,  and  victory  was  almost  within  the  Federal  grasp, 
when  the  Louisville  lost  one  of  her  wheels  by  a  shot.  An 
accidental  shot  from  the  Tyler  broke  in  fragments  a  tiller 
which  the  pilot  was  adjusting,  and  the  boat  swung  back 
helpless  from  the  fire.  The  St.  Louis,  also,  became  unman- 
ageable from  the  loss  of  a  wheel,  and  the  two  other  boata 
being  disabled,  retired  with  the  rest  down  the  stream. 

The  enemy  had  sustained  little  injury,  though  the  water 
battery  had  been  almost  silenced,  and  the  guns  on  the 
heights  could  not  be  reached  from  the  decks.  Fifty-four 
of  the  Federals  had  been  killed  and  wounded  in  this  terrible 
fight,  and  it  was  clear  that  the  capture  of  the  place  must  be 
made,  if  at  all,  by  the  land  forces. 

It  was  thought  that  the  river  batteries,  at  least,  might 
be  destroyed  by  the  gunboats,  and  Grant  resolved  to  wait 
till  the  latter  could  be  repaired,  so  as  to  act  in  unison  with 
trim.  By  superior  numbers  the  complete  investment  of  tha 
place  could  be  made,  and  the  garrison  reduced  bji  starvation. 
Floyd  was  in  command  of  the  fort,  with  Pillow  and  Buck- 


BATTLE   AT   FORT    DONELSON.  11? 

tter  next  in  rank.  Calling  a  consultation  of  his  officers,  it 
was  agreed  that  the  only  way  of  success  which  was  left 
them,  consisted  in  forcing  the  Federal  lines  up  the  river, 
and  by  the  open  country  making  good  their  escape  toward 
Nashville.  Floyd,  in  carrying  out  his  plan,  concentrated 
bis  main  force  on  his  left  on  Friday  night,  and  placed  it 
under  the  command  of  Pillow,  with  orders  to  attack  the 
Federal  right,  under  McClemand,  the  next  morning,  while 
Buckner  attacked  Wallace  on  the  centre  and  laid  open  the 
Wynne  road.  A  small  force  was  left  to  watch  General 
Smith,  who  commanded  the  Federal  left  on  the  river  below 
the  fort. 

The  Federal  troops  were  roused  from  their  wintry  couch, 
and  shivering  took  their  places  in  the  ranks,  when  the  roar 
of  the  enemy's  guns  burst  upon  them.  The  enemy,  nearly 
eight  thousand  strong,  marched  out  of  their  works  at  day- 
light, and  in  different  columns,  well  supported  by  artillery 
moved  right  on  General  McClernand's  encampment.  Hia 
division  consisted  of  three  brigades,  composed  of  Illinois 
men,  except  a  regiment  of  Wisconsin  troops,  and  one  of  Ken- 
tuckians.  McClernand -prepared  to  receive  the  enemy.  The 
Kentuckians  being  attacked  near  the  river  by  overpowering 
numbers,  broke  and  fled,  but  the  Illinois  troops  stood  their 
ground  with  great  determination.  Our  advanced  legiments 
had  to  fight  the  enemy  against  great  odds  massed  upon 
them.  The  roar  of  battle  rushed  through  the  forest  with 
fearful  sound.  Cannon  commanded  every  eminence.  There 
was  little  unity  of  action,  for  the  troops  were  concealed  in 
the  woods,  in  which  a  regiment  would  disappear  here  and 
there,  so  that  its  position  could  only  be  told  by  the  rattle 
of  musketry,  or  by  the  smoke.  The  tide  of  battle  rolled 
and  surged,  and  the  dead  and  dying  strewed  the  forest. 
The  enemy,  by  a  sudden  movement,  hurled  a  massed  force 
on  McClernand's  line,  which  broke  it,  and  gave  cause  to  fear 
that  they  would  sweep  the  entire  field.  McAllister's  bat- 
tery had  fired  a  hundred  and  fifty  rounds  of  ammunition  by 
ten  o'clock,  killing  many  of  the  enemy.  In  trying  to  get 
ammunition  from  the  rear,  a  single  rebel  shot  passed 
through  three  of  his  horses,  another  tore  the  trail  off  one 
of  his  guns,  and  a  third  broke  the  wheel  of  another  gun  in 
fragments.  He  tried  to  drag  the  sole  remaining  gun  off  the 
field  with  six  horses  but  it  was  ruined,  and  had  to  be  abaci 


118  BATTLE   AT   FORT   DONELSON. 

doned.  The  men  of  many  regiments  needed  ammunition, 
and  could  do  nothing  but  fall  back,  while  the  enemy  ad- 
vanced with  hideous  yells.  The  day  seemed  lost,  and  the 
path  clear  for  the  garrison  to  escape.  McClernand  sent  to 
Wallace  at  eight  o'clock  for  reinforcements,  and  he,  having 
received  orders  to  hold  the  centre,  sent  to  head-quarters. 
Grant  had  gone  on  board  Foote's  boat  to  consult  about 
uother  attack  of  the  fleet.  Wallace  had  waited  to  hear 
from  him  anxiously,  and  now  learned  that  the  enemy  had 
turned  McClernand's  flank,  and  endangered  his  whole  force. 
Se  could  wait  no  longer,  and  sent  Colonel  Cruft  to  aid  the 
struggling  patriots.  A  guide  was  needed  to  pilot  the 
column,  for  the  investing  lines  ran  some  miles  over  ravines, 
broken  ground,  and  through  dense  woods.  Cruft's  guide 
fled,  but  Cruft  kept  on,  and  soon  found  himself  on  McCler- 
nand's right,  between  him  and  the  advancing  rebels.  He 
met  an  overwhelming  force  of  the  enemy,  and  rushing  on 
them,  a  bloody  conflict  ensued.  The  men  of  Illinois  for 
a  long  time  held  at  bay  the  vast  numbers  of  the  enemy 
which  bore  down  upon  them.  Meanwhile,  a  part  of  McCler- 
nand's brigade  to  the  right  began  to  retreat  in  confusion, 
and  some  of  the  scattered  forces  rushed  through  Cruft's 
line.  The  ranks  at  once  closed,  but  being  left  to  contend 
alone,  were  obliged  to  fall  back  to  a  new  position.  Two 
bold  charges  of  the  enemy  were  successfully  repelled  by 
Colonel  Shackleford,  in  a  handsome  manner,  and  charging 
them  in  turn,  they  fell  back  some  distance. 

A  regiment  on  his  left  gave  way,  and  in  danger  of  being 
outflanked,  Shackleford  retired  in  perfect  order  to  the 
rear,  and  seized  a  new  position.  Wallace  had  anxiously 
-waited  for  despatches.  None  came.  At  last  a  multitude 
of  stragglers  came  rushing  up  the  hill  where  he  stood.  A 
mounted  officer  dashed  along  the  road,  shouting  "  We  are  all 
cut  to  pieces  /"  Wallace  feared  a  panic,  and  put  himself  at 
the  head  of  the  brigade,  and  ordered  it  to  move  on  to  the 
right.  TLe  met  broken  regiments  retiring  from  the  want  of 
ammunition.  In  reply  to  his  question,  as  to  the  state  of  the 
field,  an  officer  coolly  told  him  that  the  enemy  was  near, 
and  would  soon  attack  him.  lie  at  once  sent  Colonel 
Thayer  to  form  a  line  of  battle  across  the  road,  and  ordered 
tip  Wood's  Chicago  light  artillery.  Thayer's  men  marched 
at  double-quick  to  their  position,  and  Wood's  guns  wer« 


BATTLE   AT   TORT   DONELSON.  119 

brought  up  at  full  gallop,  unlimbered,  and  placed  in  a  poii- 
tion  to  sweep  the  road. 

The  soldiers  who  retired  for  ammunition,  were  supplied 
under  fire,  and  the  enemy  again  swept  on  through  the 
woods,  making  right  for  the  battery  and  its  support — the 
IHrst  Nebraska  regiment.  "Wood's  battery  mowed  them 
lown  and  the  First  Nebraska  poured  in  a  deadly  fire.  The 
rebels  bore  up  firmly,  «;r.a  then,  unable  to  withstand  the  ter- 
rible fire  which  swept  their  ranks,  broke,  and  retreated  ID 
confusion.  "Wallace  then  dashed  on  to  see  Cruft's  brigade, 
which  stood  in  good  order.  He  joined  it  to  Thayer's  by  a 
skirmish  line,  and  waited  for  the  enemy.  But  he  had  fallen 
back,  and  occupied  the  ground  which  he  had  gained  in  the 
early  part  of  the  day.  Grant  arrived  about  three  o'clock, 
and,  indignant  at  the  audacity  of  the  enemy's  attempt  to 
force  his  lines,  resolved  to  move  his  whole  army  against  hia 
works.  McClernand  was  to  attack  them  on  the  right,  up 
the  river,  and  Colonel  Charles  F.  Smith  on  the  left,  below. 
Wallace  was  to  lead  the  assault  with  his  division.  Cruft'a 
brigade,  and  one  under  Colonel  Smith,  of  the  Eighth  Mis- 
souri, were  to  advance  up  the  hill  in  columns  of  regiments, 
and  act  at  discretion.  The  word  "forward"  was  received 
with  acclamations  by  the  brave  troops,  and  moving  on 
rapidly  to  the  foot  of  the  hill,  they  encountered  the  enemy. 
Smith  reached  the  summit  before  Cruft  had  arrived,  and  a 
bloody  combat  ensued.  The  men  had  urged  their  way 
through  a  scathing  fire,  which  rolled  in  an  unbroken  deluge 
down  the  slope.  They  sometimes  fell  flat  on  their  faces, 
till,  like  the  simoon  of  the  desert,  the  fire  swept  over 
them,  and  then,  rising,  rushed  on  with  renewed  vigor. 
Cruft's  men  advanced,  and  fought  Indian  fashion,  from  tree 
to  tree,  and  the  combatants  often  contended  for  the  same 
cover,  while  the  woods  resounded  with  the  roll  of  the  mus- 
ketry. The  intrepid  adva  nee  of  Smith,  having  cleared  the 
hill  with  a  shout,  drove  the  routed  enemy  to  within  a  hun- 
dred and  fifty  yards  of  his  intrenchments,  the  same  ground 
from  which,  in  the  morning,  Pillow  had  driven  McClernand. 
The  dead  and  wounded,  who  had  fallen  there  in  the  vain 
attempt  to  resist  the  overwhelming  force  brought  against 
them,  strewed  the  spot.  Night  now  fell  on  the  field,  fight- 
ing ceased,  the  wounded  were  cared  for  and  tended  by  th» 
wearied  soldiers. 


120  SUKP.KNDBR   OF    FORT    DONELSO1C. 

With  this  success  on  the  right,  a  still  more  splendid  on« 
was  gained  bj  General  Charles  F.  Smith  on  the  left.  He 
was  ready  at  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  to  storm  the 
enemy's  works,  which  were  constructed  on  a  high  hill,  and 
well  defended.  He  sent  to  the  right,  as  if  to  move  in 
force  on  that  point,  Cook's  and  Lannan's  brigades,  and 
with  three  picked  regiments — the  Second  and  Seventh 
[owa,  and  Fifty-seventh  Indiana — led  them  in  person  round 
to  the  left,  and  began  to  climb  the  hill  under  a  withering 
fire.  Not  a  shot  replied;  the  gaps  in  the  ranks  closed,  and 
the  indomitable  troops  marched  resistlessly  on ;  Smith,  in 
front,  with  his  cap  on  the  sword's  point,  guiding  them  for- 
ward. The  terrible  way  to  the  top  was  gained  by  these 
gallant  spirits,  and  while  they  stood  there,  one  deadly  volley 
was  shot  into  the  dense  ranks  below,  and  then  they  swept 
on  with  the  bayonet,  driving  the  enemy  before  them  into  the 
inner  works.  The  stars  and  stripes  floated  on  the  ramparts, 
greeted  by  deafening  shouts.  Guns  were  planted,  and  well 
supported,  so  as  to  bid  defiance  to  any  power  which  the 
rebels  could  bring  against  this  position.  From  this  point 
the  entire  strong  portion  of  the  enemy's  works  could  be  en 
filaded.  Cold  night  came  upon  the  soldiers,  wearied,  and 
without  a  fire. 

The  drum  called  the  heroes  to  their  post  in  the  morning. 
Cold  and  hungry,  their  ranks  were  closed  on  the  cold  snow, 
stained  with  blood.  It  was  on  the  Sabbath  that  this  last 
assault  was  prepared.  They  had  marched  from  Fort  Henry 
with  only  rations  in  their  haversacks ;  been  three  days  ex 
posed,  with  no  shelter  or  fire,  in  snow  and  cold,  and  now 
were  ready  with  undaunted  breasts. 

The  guns  were  trained,  and  all  prepared  for  the  final 
effort.  A  bugle  blast  was  heard,  and  a  white  flag  waved  in 
the  breeze.  The  fort  had  surrendered,  and  the  joyful  news 
ran  from  one  column  to  another,  while  shouts  rent  the  air, 
anu  all  were  filled  with  exultation. 

By  this  important  victory  the  way  lay  open  to  Nashville, 
and  the  rebel  line  of  defences  was  broken  in  the  centre. 
Twelve  thousand  men,  with  their  stores  and  arms,  fell  into 
the  hands  of  the  vectors.  When  the  startling  rumor  reached 
Nashville  that  Fort  Donelson  had  surrendered,  all  was  com- 
motion acd  alarm,  and  a  panic-stricken  crowd  fled  from  tho 
city.  Stores  were  thrown  open,  and  the  pillaging  rabble 


ATTACK  ON    BOANOKE  ISLAND.  Hi 

enacted  scenes  of  confusion  and  madness.  Johnston'i 
column  marched  through  the  city  to  Murfreesboro,  and  the 
panic  continued.  Nashville  was  taken  possession  of  for- 
mally by  our  troops  a  week  after,  and  contained  many 
secessionists,  who  required  to  be  well  watched. 

Meantime,  General  Curtis,  in  command  of  the  army  in 
Missouri,  pushed  Price  before  him,  drove  him  over  the 
Arkansas  border,  and  still  pursued  him.  On  the  east  the 
Union  arms  were  also  victorious. 

Oa  February  5th,  Burnside,  who  had  long  been  detained 
at  Hatteras  inlet,  sailed  for  Eoanoke  island,  with  a  fleet  of 
sixty-five  vessels.  Their  course  over  the  waters  was  grand, 
as  they  sailed  in  three  compact  columns,  displaying  such  an 
invincible  power  as  was  never  before  seen  in  American 
waters.  At  sundown  the  signal  was  given  for  the  fleet  to 
anchor,  when  it  was  within  ten  miles  of  the  southern  point 
of  the  island.  It  was  under  way  the  next  day  at  eight 
o'clock,  but  the  heavens  portended  a  storm,  which  burst 
forth  at  eleven  o'clock,  and  the  whole  squadron  halted. 
After  awhile  it  moved  on,  but  the  Roanoke  inlet  could  not 
oe  attempted  that  night.  The  fleet  proceeded  on  in  the 
morning,  and  at  eleven  o'clock  the  silence  was  broken  by 
the  booming  of  the  first  gun  over  the  waters.  "When  the 
smoke  disappeared,  and  the  echoes  rolled  away,  the  signal 
was— "This  day  our  country  expects  that  every  man  will  do  his 
duty"  An  efiect  was  produced  like  electricity  Between 
Albemarle  and  Pamlico  sounds  is  Roanoke  island,  which 
commands  the  intervening  channel,  well  fortified  by  the 
rebels,  with  two  strong  works,  which  mounted  twenty-two 
heavy  guns,  three  of  them  being  one  hundred  pounders, 
rifled.  There  were  also  four  batteries  of  twenty-two  guns, 
and  eight  steamers,  besides  great  obstructions  in  the-  chan 
nel,  and  a  garrison  of  three  thousand  men. 

The  action  at  noon  became  general.  The  guns  from  the 
rebel  batteries  and  the  Federal  fleet,  alternately,  shook  land 
and  sea  with  loud  thunders.  While  bursting  shells  lashed 
up  the  water,  the  curling  smoke  rising  in  great  clouds,  and 
the  shrieking  missiles,  made  the  scene  awfully  sublime. 

The  enemy's  fleet  avoided  our  murderous  fire  by  retiring 

behind  some  piles,  which  were  extended  in  rows  in  the 

channel,  and  our  gunbonts  dropped  their  shells  with  fatal 

precision  into  the  work*  on  suc«>  to  waich  their  attention 

11 


122  THE   BATTLE. 

was  now  drawn.  The  barracks  took  fire  at  one  o'clock,  and 
enveloped  the  intrenchments  in  sable  smoke.  The  fire 
slackened  on  both  sides,  and  Burnside  anxiously  turned  his 
gaze  in  the  direction  of  the  transports.  Soon  the  flames 
were  partially  extinguished,  and  the  rebels  again  opened 
fire.  The  transports  being  now  in  sight,  the  rebel  gunboats 
tried  to  cut  them  oft' — a  movement  rendered  abortive. 

The  battle  now  was  renewed  with  great  fury,  and  the 
transports  having  arrived  at  four  o'clock,  took  up  a  position 
beyond  the  range  of  the  rebel  guns.  As  the  men  watched 
the  battle  from  the  rigging,  and  from  every  spar,  they  sent 
up  loud  shouts,  which  echoed  faintly  over  the  waters.  The 
enemy's  fire  again  slackened,  and  the  Federal  commander 
resolved  to  land  and  storm  their  works.  Soon,  six  thousand 
men  were  on  shore,  and  at  eleven  o'clock,  all  was  put  in 
order  for  the  night,  and  the  cheerful  bivouac  fires  blazed  for 
a  mile  along  the  shore.  Soon  a  deluging  rain  descended, 
and  the  blankets  being  left  behind,  on  board  the  transports, 
the  soldiers,  with  only  their  overcoats,  passed  the  night 
almost  without  sleep,  and  welcomed  the  coming  day,  which 
was  to  bring  all  the  dangers  of  battle.  A  bad  road  separated 
them  from  the  enemy.  The  way  ran  through  a  swampy 
forest,  with  underbrush  and  felled  trees,  amid  which  the 
troops  must  find  a  passage  over  the  marshy  ground,  whilst 
under  fire.  Morning  came.  Three  Massachusetts  regiments, 
and  the  Tenth  Connecticut,  under  General  Foster,  being  the 
centre  column,  moved  off,  preceded  by  a  battery  of  six 
twelve  pound  boat  howitzers.  General  Reno,  with  the  second 
column,  was  to  outflank  the  enemy  on  his  left,  and  General 
Parke,  with  the  third,  was  to  make  a  similar  movement  on 
his  right  flank.  The  centre,  moving  up,  drove  in  the 
skirmishers,  reached  the  open  space  in  front  of  the  works, 
placed  the  artillery  in  position,  and  began  to  fire  with  ra- 
pidity. The  gunners  soon  were  thinned  by  the  enemy's  bat- 
tery. Rev.  Mr.  James,  chaplain  of  the  Twenty-fifth  Mas- 
sachusetts, rendered  assistance  in  working  the  guns,  as  long 
as  the  ammunition  lasted.  This  brave  divine  fought  like  a 
soldier.  The  loader  and  sponger  being  shot,  his  place  was 
supplied  by  another,  who  was  instantly  killed,  and  midship- 
man Benjamin  A.  Porter  assisted  while  the  battle  lasted 
The  advance  was  held  by  the  T\n  enty-fifth  Massachusetts, 
under  a  scathing  fire,  till  the  oartr.dges  were  expended,  and 


SURRENDER    OF   RCM  XOKE    ISLAND.  123 

the  Fifth  Connecticut,  taking  its  place,  held  it  with  unflinch- 
ing courage.  The  wounded  were  taken  to  the  real.  Msny 
dodged  the  enemy's  missiles,  by  crouching  down,  but  the 
men  could  not  do  this  easily,  as  they  stood  up  to  their  hips 
in  muddy  water,  into  which  those  who  were  shot  fell  back 
with  a  splash,  and  lay  half  covered.  The  flanking  columns, 
in  the  meantime,  were  slowly  forcing  a  passage  through  the 
vhickets,  on  the  intrench  men ts,  and  the  enemy,  thinking  it 
impossible,  were  perfectly  astounded  to  see  the  troops  new 
upon  them.  Parkes'  column  was  met  with  a  dreadful  fire, 
and  the  Ninth  New  York  (Hawkins'  Zouaves)  were  led  in 
a  charge  gallantly,  by  Major  Kimball.  The  right  column, 
under  General  Reno,  had  now  cleared  the  woods,  and  the 
Twenty-ninth  Massachusetts  was  ordered  to  charge.  It 
dashed  forward  with  cheers,  at  the  same  instant  that  the 
Fifty-first,  under  General  Ferrero,  was  charging  on  the  left. 
The  stars  and  stripes  soon  floated  on  the  ramparts,  and  see- 
ing how  matters  stood,  the  rebels  broke  and  fled.  The  vic- 
torious colunyis  met  in  the  deserted  work,  which  now 
resounded  with  their  cheers.  While  this  was  going  on  upon 
the  two  flanks,  the  centre  advanced,  and  the  Tenth  Connec- 
ticut was  led  to  the  front  by  the  gallant  Colonel  Russell, 
who  fell  pierced  with  the  enemy's  bullets.  The  works  being 
gained,  two  columns  pursued  the  flying  enemy.  To  cut  them 
off  from  crossing  to  Nag's  Head,  the  Fifty-first  and  Ninth 
New  York  took  the  road  on  the  east.  Ex-Governor  Wise, 
lay  an  invalid  at  Nag's  Head.  The  troops  came  up  with 
some  boats,  towed  by  a  steamer,  while  two  more  were 
putting  off  from  shore.  The  rebels  in  the  boats,  being  or- 
dered to  return,  refused,  but  a  volley,  well  aimed,  changed 
their  purpose,  and  putting  back,  they  surrendered.  Jen- 
nings O.  Wise  was  among  these  latter,  being  mortally 
wounded,  and  died  that  night.  Different  bodies  of  rebels, 
pursued  by  our  troops  in  various  directions,  surrendered.. 
The  commander  of  the  post.  Colonel  Shaw,  delivered  up  his 
iword  to  General  Foster.  The  garrison  of  three  thousand 
men,  thirty  guns,  and  the  munitions  of  war  and  stores,  fell 
into  our  hands.  Thus  fell  Roanoke  island.  The  Federal 
loss  was  two  hundred  and  fifty  killed  and  wounded.  That 
of  the  enemy  was  much  greater.  On  Sunday,  the  9th  of 
February,  thirteen  steamers,  under  Captain  Rowan,  started 
in  pursuit  of  the  gunboats,  which  haa  escaped  toward  Eliz- 


124  CANBY   ON   THE   RIO   GRJLNDE. 

abetli  City,  forty  miles  off,  and  encountered  them  at  tlrea 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  drawn  up  in  line  of  battle,  under 
Captain  Lynch,  the  "  Dead  Sea  Explorer."  A  fort,  running 
a  quarter  of  a  mile  out  beyond  the  line  of  battle,  mounted 
four  guns  of  large  calibre  ;  Captain  Rowan  ran  up  the  signal, 
"  close  action."  The  steamers  advanced  under  a  heavy  iire; 
and,  with  a  full  head  of  steam,  plunged  into  the  midst  of  the 
heavy  boats.  The  Perry  struck  the  rebel  flag-ship  Sea 
Bird  amidships,  and  crushed  her.  The  Ceres  ran  into  and 
boarded  the  Ellis,  and  the  Underwriter  took  the  Forrest, 
Delaware,  and  Fanny  the  same  way.  All  the  vessels  of  the 
rebel  navy  but  two,  which  escaped  up  the  Dismal  swamp, 
were  destroyed  or  captured.  The  whole  coast  of  North 
Carolina,  down  to  Newbern,  was  the  result  of  this  victory. 
Edenton  was  occupied,  and  Winton,  on  the  Chowan,  in 
trying  to  obstruct  the  Federal  gunboats,  was  laid  in  ashes. 

A  fierce  artillery  combat  took  place  on  the  banks  of  the 
Rio  Grande,  in  New  Mexico,  on  the  21st,  between  Colonel 
Canby  and  the  rebel  Colonel  Steel,  with  a  body  of  Texans. 

Two  desperate  charges  were  made,  to  take  two  Union  flank- 
ing batteries.  The  struggle  was  one  of  the  fiercest  ever  re- 
corded. The  right  flank  battery  was  commanded  by  Lieu- 
tenant Hall,  and  was  charged  on  by  the  enemy's  cavalry  ; 
the  left  one,  under  Captain  McCrea,  by  Texan  infantry.  A 
dreadful  storm  of  grape  and  canister  laid  the  rebels  in  heaps 
on  the  field.  But  they  rushed  on,  even  to  the  muzzles  of  the 
guns,  and  shot  down  all  the  gunners  except  three.  The 
gallant  McCrea,  single-handed,  disdained  to  flee,  and  died  at 
his  post.  The  loss  of  this  battery  obliged  Colonel  Canby  to 
retire  to  the  fort,  after  losing,  in  killed  and  wounded,  two 
hundred  men. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

MARCH,   1862. 

MCAPB    OF    THE    NASHVILLE — DESTRUCTION    OF  A   REBEL   rfATTBRT — DKAii 
OF   COLONBL    LANDER — CAPTDRR   OF    FERNANDINA    AND  FORT    CLINCH-- 

THR    MERRIMAC,  AND    HER    INJURY    TO  THE  FEDERAL  FLEBT ARRIVAL  O» 

THR     MONITOR — SHE     DEFEATS     THE    MERRIMAC BATTLE    OF    PEA    RIDQR, 

AND     ITS      RESULTS — ANDREW    JOHNSON,    GOVERNOR      OF     TENNESSEE — 

REBELS      CONCENTRATE      AT     CORINTH FOOTE     MOVES     AOAINST      ISLAND 

NUMBER  TEN — POPK  AT  NEW  MADRID — CAPTURB  OF  NEWBERN — A 
OKNERAL  ADTANCR  OF  THR  ARMT  OF  THR  POTOMAC FREMONT  IN  COM- 
MAND OF  MOUNTAIN  DEPARTMENT — EVACUATION  OF  MANASSAS — BATTLB 
OF  WINCHESTER. 

THE  Southern  papers,  on  the  1st,  gave  the  public  the 
news  of  the  safe  arrival  of  the  rebel  steamer  Nashville  at 
Beaufort,  North  Carolina.  She  hoisted  the  national  flag, 
and  steered  for  the  blockading  fleet,  and  before  her  real 
character  became  apparent,  had  gone  too  far  to  be  arrested 
in  her  course.  It  was  on  this  day  that  Lieutenant  Gwin, 
with  gunboats,  destroyed  a  rebel  battery,  and  cleared  the 
shores  at  Pittsburg  Landing,  on  the  Tennessee  river,  the 
scene,  in  a  short  time,  of  a  great  battle.  Colonel  Lander,  a 
gallant  officer,  who,  in  a  brilliant  cavalry  dash,  on  the  14th 
of  February,  had  taken  prisoners  commissioned  officers,  at 
Blooming  Gap,  of  whom  five  had  surrendered  to  himself, 
died  on  the  2<S,  at  Paw  Paw,  Virginia,  of  congestive  fever. 
His  successor  was  General  James  Shields.  On  the  same 
day,  Columbus,  Mississippi,  was  entered  by  a  body  of  Fede- 
ral cavalry,  who  raised  the  national  flag  over  that  strong 
position.  The  enemy  set  fire  to  it,  casting  all  the  heavy 
guns  into  the  river  before  leaving.  They  then  retreated  to 
Island  Number  Ten,  some  miles  above  New  Madrid.  The 
day  following,  Captain  Foote,  with  the  gunboats,  took  pos- 
session. The  same  day  (the  2d)  the  Union  flag  floated  once 
again  on  Fort  Clinch,  Florida,  the  first  of  the  national  forts 
recovered  in  the  war.  The  works  were  found  strong,  and 
without  injury,  and  the  garrison,  having  taken  flight,  had 
abandoned  all  its  heavy  guns,  which  were  found  by  the 
men  of  Dupont's  fleet.  There  occurred  a  novel  scene  in  aj> 

(126) 


126      ATTACK  OF  THE  REBEL  RAM  MERRIMAC. 

preaching  the  tovni  of  Fernandina,  in  which  the  fort  it 
situated.  A  large  train  of  cars,  full  of  passengers,  on  the 
point  of  leaving  the  town,  this  was  seen  by  Captain  Drayton, 
who  ordered  Lieutenant  Stearns,  of  the  Ottawa,  to  stop  ita 
progress.  The  vessel,  having  a  full  head  of  steam,  pursued 
the  cars.  The  shells  fell  thick  and  fast  around  the  train, 
whose  affrighted  passengers  had  no  way  of  escape,  the  cars 
running  at  great  speed.  But  the  cars  were  too  rapid  for  the 
gunboat,  and  Stearns  was  obliged  to  desist  from  the  pursuit. 
Two  men  were  killed  by  a  shell ;  the  rear  cars  were  separ- 
ated, and  the  remainder  escaped. 

We  now  come  to  describe  two  events  of  importance 
which  happened  at  a  great  distance  apart,  on  the  8th, 
namely,  the  attack  of  the  rebel  ram  Merrimac,  at  Newport 
News,  and  the  battle  of  Pea  Eidge,  Arkansas. 

A  steam-propelled  vessel,  of  singular  appearance,  was 
seen  to  leave  the  harbor  of  Norfolk,  and  sail  down  the 
channel  toward  Se wall's  Point.  The  Union  vessels,  Cum- 
berland, Congress,  Minnesota,  St.  Lawrence,  and  Eoanoke, 
laying  at  anchor  in  Hampton  Eoads,  were  signalled  that 
danger  was  at  hand.  The  mysterious  monster  looked  like 
a  floating  house,  with  its  chimney  and  roof  above  the  water. 
She  kept  on  her  steady  way  toward  Newport  News,  and  then 
steered  her  course  to  the  mouth  of  James  river,  where  lay 
the  Cumberland  and  Congress.  Soon  her  character  and  de- 
sign became  apparent,  and  she  was  recognized  as  the  iron- 
clad Merrimac,  constructed  at  Norfolk  by  the  rebel  govern- 
ment. On  approaching  the  Cumberland,  the  discharge  from 
the  heavy  guns  of  the  latter,  though  well  aimed,  produced 
no  effect,  and  the  dangerous  missiles  glanced  from  her  iron 
sides  and  deck  without  doing  the  least  damage.  The  artil- 
lery of  the  Congress  had  no  better  result,  and  the  rebel 
craft  seemed  to  bid  defiance  to  these  vessels,  as  with  closed 
ports  she  steadily  advanced  under  a  powerful  force  of  steam, 
With  increased  speed,  she  at  length  steered  for  the  Cuir 
berland,  and  striking  her  amidship,  with  her  iron  beak 
left  a  terrible  gash  in  her  side.  Discharging  a  volley  a. 
the  ill-fated  ship,  she  retired,  and  again  repeated  the  assault. 
The  Cumberland  was  now  disabled  and  ready  to  sink,  but 
her  flag  still  floated,  and  her  pivot  guns  gave  a  last  shot 
then  all  was  over.  Her  brave  crow  refused  to  surrender 
and  went  down  with  her. 


AKBIVlIi   OF  THE   MONITOR.  127 

Meanwhile^  two  Confederate  vessels,  the  Yorktown  and 
Jamestown,  had  sailed  down  the  river  James,  and  attacked 
the  Federal  fleet.  The  Cumberland  being  disposed  of,  the 
Merrimac,  turning  her  prow,  attacked  the  Congress,  whose 
crew  having  been  discharged  the  day  previous,  she  was 
manned  by  a  portion  of  the  naval  brigade.  Incapable  of  re- 
sistance, and  her  commander  being  killed,  to  avoid  a  fate 
similar  to  that  of  the  Cumberland,  she  was  compelled  to 
strike  her  colors.  The  officers  were  received  as  prisoners  on 
board  the  Jamestown. 

The  Merrimac,  yet  seemingly  intact,  soon  came  up  with 
the  steamship  Minnesota,  which  had  grounded.  Both  ves- 
sels discharged  their  guns ;  but  the  Merrimac,  either  afraid 
of  grounding,  or  from  some  injury  to  her  steering  appara- 
tus, kept  aloof.-  Night  fell,  but  the  darkness  was  lit  up  by 
the  flashes  of  the  guns,  which  sent  their  hoarse  thunders 
over  the  scene,  and  made  many  in  Fortress  Monroe  appre 
hensive  of  the  result.  In  vain  the  most  powerful  vesse. 
might  contend  with  this  monster  of  the  deep.  One  plunge 
of  the  iron  beak  would  have  sent  the  Minnesota  and  every 
vessel  that  floated  the  national  flag  to  the  bottom. 

The  little  Monitor,  from  New  York,  after  a  long  voyage, 
in  which  she  was  in  danger  of  foundering,  suddenly  arrived 
at  Fortress  Monroe,  and  though  joyfully  hailed  on  her  ap- 
proach, gave  no  considerable  hope  of  being  able  to  resist 
the  Merrimac,  which  had  made  so  great  havoc  the  day  be 
fore.  She  appeared  to  be  an  iron  raft,  with  a  revolving 
turret  and  two  guns.  Lieutenant  Worden,  her  commander 
had  an  opinion  quite  different.  He  believed  his  vessel  in 
vulnerable,  and  determined  to  go  out  the  next  day  and 
encounter  the  Merrirnac.  More  time  was  needed  to  get  his 
vessel  ready,  but  delay  might  be  fatal  to  the  Minnesota,  and 
to  all  the  blockading  squadron ;  and  it  was  feared  that, 
passing  the  vessels  in  the  harbor,  she  might  proceed  to  New 
York,  and  lay  it  in  ashes.  "While  gloom  pervaded  all  hearta 
at  Fortress  Monroe  and  the  fleet,  a  flame  rose  in  the  direc- 
jion  of  Newport  News,  thunders  rolled  over  the  deep  which 
shook  the  shore ;  and  again,  as  the  spectators,  who  had 
gathered  on  the  land,  were  eager  to  know  what  had 
occurred,  all  was  suddenly  dark  and  perfectly  silent.  Gen 
eral  Mansfield  has  frustrated  the  design  of  the  rebels  to  gel 
possession  of  the  Congress  at  Newport  Newa  by  his  b»V 


128  SHE    DEFEATS   THE   MKKR1MAC. 

series  and  sharpshooters,  and  by  firing  the  vessel.  When 
her  magazine  blew  up,  some  of  her  fragments  were  cast  a 
dozen  miles.  The  Monitor  had  soon  after  arrived,  and  set 
out  on  her  important  mission,  seeming  to  be  a  mere  toy  on 
the  waters.  The  calm  and  beautiful  Sabbath  morning 
revealed  a  pleasant  and  picturesque  scene.  On  the  cairn 
surface  of  the  waters  lay  the  powerful  Minnesota,  near  her, 
the  dreaded  Merrimac,  and,  not  far  away,  the  rebel  steamers 
Patrick  Henry  and  Jamestown.  It  was  doubtful  whether 
the  Minnesota,  or  the  Union  fleet  near  the  Rip  Raps  would 
be  first  attacked.  The  mystery  was  soon  solved  by  the 
Merrimac  starting,  at  seven  o'clock,  for  the  Minnesota. 
Approaching  the  grounded  vessel  with  insolent  daring,  one 
dash  of  the  iron  prow  was,  doubtless,  deemed  sufficient  to 
send  her  to  the  bottom.  At  this  crisis,  the  little  Monitor 
steamed  out  from  behind  the  Rip  Raps  and  boldly  met  her 
adversary.  The  rebel  vessel  was  unused  to  such  a  novel 
craft,  whose  movements,  as  she  came  on,  seemed  audacious 
and  likely  to  receive  punishment.  A  mile  apart,  the  two 
vessels  stopped.  Ignoring  the  existence  of  the  Monitor, 
the  Merrimac  fired  a  gun  at  the  Minnesota,  and  one,  in  turn, 
at  the  Monitor,  which  was  returned  by  the  latter  with  a 
ponderous  shot,  which  struck  her  adversary  near  the  water- 
line.  The  concussion  produced  by  the  shot  gave  the  Mer- 
rimac an  intimation  of  the  character  of  her  enemy.  A  fierce 
battle  now  ensued,  which,  for  two  hours,  tested  the  impen- 
etrability of  each,  as,  advancing  and  retreating  alternately, 
they  hurled  their  broadsides  at  each  other,  and  then,  muz- 
zle to  muzzle,  rained  their  heavy  metal  amid  the  dense 
smoke  which  concealed  the  combatants.  The  atmosphere 
clearing,  the  Monitor  appeared  with  the  national  colors 
waving,  uninjured  and  undismayed.  The  Minnesota  now 
brought  her  heavy  guns  to  bear  upon  the  enemy,  whicn 
latter,  in  order  to  sink  the  grounded  vessel,  turned  on  hei 
the  fatal  iron  prow.  The  desperate  attempt  was  frustrated 
by  the  heavy  broadsides  of  the  Monitor,  rained  down  with 
fierce  fury.  One  dreadful  rush  against  the  Monitor  was 
now  made  by  the  baffled  enemy.  With  a  full  head  of 
steam,  she  drove  right  upon  her,  but  the  shock  was  firmly 
sustained  by  the  Monitor,  and  the  Merrimac  exposing  her 
hull  below  the  iron  platine*  a  ponderous  shot  penetrated 
ker  sheathing,  and  caused  her  to  retire.  The  disabled 


BATTLE    OF   PEA    RIDGE.  129 

Merrimac  wheeled,  and  slowly  proceeded  toward  Sewall's 
Point.  "When  under  the  batteries  of  the  latter,  sho  sig- 
nalled for  assistance.  She  was  towed  to  Norfolk.  No 
injuvy  happened  to  the  Monitor.  Her  gallant  commander, 
Lieutenant  Worden,  had  both  eyes  injured  by  fragments  of 
shot,  and  several  of  the  gunners  were  stunned  by  a  heavy 
shot  which  struck  the  pilot  house.  The  commander  of  the 
Merrimac,  Buchanan,  was  seriously  wounded,  it  was  thought 
mortally.  This  contest  produced  a  great  revolution  in  naval 
architecture.  People  were  filled  with  astonishment,  and  the 
serious  saw,  in  the  happy  termination  of  a  dreaded  catas- 
trophe, a  confirmation  of  the  doctrine  of  Divine  Providence. 
It  has  been  already  stated  that  General  Curtis  had  driven 
Price  before  him  till  he  fled  across  the  Arkansas  border. 
He  was  there  joined  by  the  forces  of  MoCullough  and  Van 
Dorn,  which  swelled  the  rebel  force  to  thirty  thousand 
strong.  Van  Dorn,  now  in  command,  resolved  to  fight 
Curtis  without  delay,  and  the  latter,  whose  force  was  inferior 
in  numbers,  preferred  battle  to  a  tedious  march  in  pursuit. 
He  now  recalled  all  his  troops,  which  had  been  sent  out  to 
capture  rebel  bands  in  southwestern  Missouri,  and  northein 
Arkansas,  and  also,  the  foraging  parties  sent  in  different 
quarters.  Colonel  Yandevere  arrived  the  night  before  the 
battle,  after  a  forced  march  of  forty  miles,  and  Generals 
Si  gel,  Davis,  and  Carr,  each  quickly  returne'd  to  Pea  Ridge, 
the  Federal  head-quarters.  Sigel  took  up  a  line  of  march 
with  scarcely  fifteen  hundred  men,  and  was  soon  informed 
that  the  enemy,  numbering  four  thousand,  were  marching 
upon  him.  .  He  sent  off  all  his  teams,  quickly  despatched  a 
messenger  to  camp  for  aid,  and  drew  up  his  men  in  line  of 
battle.  Scarcely  had  this  been  done,  when  the  enemy 
rushed  with  dreadful  yells  on  the  intrepid  little  band.  The 
men  reserved  their  fire  till  the  rebels  came  within  a  short 
distance,  and  then  a  scathing  volley  doubled  up  the  front 
rank,  which  caused  them  to  draw  back  from  the  deadly  fire. 
They  rallied,  and  their  ranks  were  swept  away  by  repeated 
volleys.  At  length,  they  made  a  desperate  onset,  when  a 
bayonet  charge  once  more  hurled  them  back ;  but  they  pre- 
pared for  another  charge,  yet  more  desperate.  Sigel,  though 
seven  miles  from  camp  ana  unsupported,  met  these  over- 
whelming numbers,  as  they  urged  on  their  horses,  at  the 
point  of  the  bayonet.  The  little  band  was  now  surrounded 


130  BATTLB    OF   PKA   RIDGI. 

and  the  balls  fell  thick  around  Sigel,  who,  providentially 
was  unharmed  and  without  a  wound,  though  his  coat  ana 
cap  were  pierced  with  bullets.  He  then  ordered  a  bayonet 
charge,  which  soon  cleared  the  path.  Reinforcements  were 
now  at  hand,  and  the  enemy,  baffled  in  his  attempts,  now 
made  an  attack  to  capture  the  wagon  train,  but  was  repulsed 

The  column  reached  the  main  army,  and  the  divisioni 
being  all  arrived  at  the  scene  of  conflict,  Curtis  prepared  for 
battle.  The  drum,  on  the  7th  of  March,  aroused  every  sol- 
dier from  his  slumbers.  Curtis  had  taken  position  on  Pea 
Ridge,  and  sent  out  Sigel  to  meet  the  enemy  coming  from 
the  westward,  while  the  centre  of  the  ridge  was  held  by 
Davis.  Sigel  soon  encountered  the  enemy,  and  opened  on 
them  with  artillery.  The  firing  soon  ceased,  and  Osterhaus, 
with  the  Third  Iowa  cavalry,  was  sent  to  clear  away  the  tim- 
ber in  the  front.  The  enemy  came  on  in  great  force,  drove 
back  the  cavalry,  and  took  a  battery  of  three  guns.  Oster 
haus  put  himself  quickly  at  the  head  of  the  Indiana  troops 
and  ordered  them  to  charge  bayonets,  after  firing  severa- 
blighting  volleys.  The  movement  was  successful.  The 
dead  covered  the  ground ;  the  guns  were  recaptured,  and 
began  again  to  play  on  the  enemy.  A  general  advanco 
followed,  and  Sigel  drove  the  enemy  several  miles. 

Meanwhile,  I}avis  had  repulsed  a  strong  force  in  his 
front.  These  attacks  served  but  to  mask  the  movement  of  the 
main  body  of  the  enemy,  which  was  marching  on  the  Fede- 
ral rear.  Colonel  Carr  had  been  sent  out  in  the  morning 
to  anticipate  such  a  movement,  and  found  the  enemy  massed 
on  a  wooded  slope,  and  at  nine  o'clock,  sent  Colonel  Dodge 
to  the  right,  with  his  artillery.  On  the  arrival  of  the  latter, 
there  arose  a  close  artillery  fight  along  the  whole  line,  and 
bodies  of  infantry  advancing  on  each  other,  the  battle  raged 
an  hour,  when  another  battery  was  sent  up  to  support  C*rr. 
The  cavalry  had  at  the  same  time  proceeded  along  the 
idge  to  seize  the  enemy's  wagons.  A  brigade  of  rebel 
avalry,  supported  by  infantry,  at  once  rushed  upon  the 
scene.  The  bugles  sounded ;  the  combatants  advanced  to 
the  charge.  Carbines  and  pistols  were  emptied,  and  the 
clashing  blades  rang  as  so  many  anvils.  The  Missouri 
cavalry  victoriously  drove  back  the  enemy  for  a  mile,  till  a 
battery  met  their  advance.  A  recall  was  sounded,  while 
the  battle  raged  on  each  s  de  of  the  road,  all  along  the  lin_a 


BATTLE   OF   PEA   RIDGE.  131 

Ca/r  struggled  with  the  main  army,  and  found  himself  in 
danger  of  being  surrounded  by  the  fresh  forces  which  came 
up  to  succor  the  enemy.  He  sent  to  Curtis  for  support,  and 
prevented  »the  rebels  from  outflanking  him  by  a  knoll  on 
the  roadside.  The  enemy  obtained  possession  of  this  by 
superior  numbers,  and  the  loss  of  half  their  force.  Carr 
retired  to  a  new  position.  He  saw  his  troops  wasting  away, 
tnd  needed  "  three  batteries  and  two  regiments,  or  night," 
to  save  the  day.  Sigel  and  Davis  were  not  yet  returned 
from  pursuit.  With  one  powerful  effort,  he  retook  the  kuoli 
which  he  had  lost,  and  the  charge  of  the  men  was  fiercer,  as 
the  troops  of  Davis,  with  a  loud  cheer,  showed  that  help 
was  at  hand.  The  rebel  leader,  McCullough,  fell  in  this 
last  charge,  and  night  closed  on  an  enemy  falling  back  in 
disorder.  The  two  armies  spent  it  in  sight  of  each  other,  at 
no  great  distance.  Curtis  slept  little.  Sigel,  however,  was 
in  high  hopes,  that  presaged  victory. 

On  the  morning  of  the  8th,  the  front  was  turned  into  the 
rear,  and  the  force  massed  north  of  the  camp.  The  enemy 
coming  up  in  the  rear,  made  a  new  line  of  battle  necessary. 
His  position  was  on  a  high  ridge,  with  several  batteries.  On 
the  right,  at  the  base  of  the  ridge,  were  batteries,  and  large 
massed  bodies  of  infantry.  A  like  disposition  was  made  on 
the  left,  except  that  here  the  infantry  force  was  smaller.  The 
Federal  line  of  battle  was  ranged  in  an  ample  cornfield.  Carr 
held  the  centre  in  this  cornfield,  and  in  a  road  which  ran 
through  it.  Davis  held  the  extreme  left.  The  action  became 
general  at  eight  o'clock,  and  the  fire  of  the  Union  guns  for 
two  hours  shook  the  enemy's  line,  while  one  of  his  batteries 
to  the  left  was  so  galling  that  it  was  determined  to  take  it. 
This  was  handsomely  done  by  the  Twelfth  Missouri,  who 
charged  up  to  the  muzzles  of  the  guns,  and  kept  them  until 
supported.  The  enemy  began  to  waver.  A  general  bayonet 
charge  drove  them  in  rout  from  the  field  ere  the  Federal  troops 
could  close.  Sigel  pursued  their  .shattered  columns  twelve 
miles,  and  then  led  back  his  victorious  troops.  The  Federal 
loss  in  this  battle  was  one  thousand  killed  and  wounded ; 
that  of  the  enemy  was  two  thousand,  and  one  thousand 
prisoners.  Among  the  rebel  dead  were  Generals  McCullough 
and  Mclntosh.  The  principal  heroes  of  this  battle,  were 
Generals  Samuel  E.  Curtis  and  Franz  Sigel.  The  enemy 
in  this  fight,  employed  Indians,  who  scalped  many  of  tha 


132  BOMBARDMENT   OF    ISLAND   NUMBER   TEW. 

slain  and  wounded  of  the  Federal  troops.  This  victory  wai 
decisive,  and  defeated  the  designs  of  Price  to  gain  Missouri 
«o  the  Southern  Confederacy. 

In  Tennessee,  Andrew  Johnson,  formerly  Go>*ernor  of  the 
State,  had  been  appointed  Provisional  Governor,  and  entered 
on  his  duties.  A.  Sidney  Johnston  joined  Beauregard  at 
Memphis,  and  Bragg,  with  the  greater  part  of  the  forces 
under  his  command,  was  ordered  up  from  Mobile.  Troops 
were  hurried  up  from  the  southwest,  and  soon  the  rebels 
had  massed  a  great  army  at  Corinth.  The  battle,  it  waa 
thought,  was  about  to  be  fought  which  would  decide  the 
destiny  of  the  great  Mississippi  valley. 

Meantime,  Foote  moved  down  toward  Island  Number  Ten 
with  his  flotilla,  composed  of  ten  gunboats,  twelve  mortar 
boats,  and  a  fleet  of  transports,  which  covered  the  river  a 
great  distance,  and  gave  hopes  that  New  Orleans  might  bo 
reached  quite  easily.  The  mortar  carried  by  each  mortar 
bout  weighed  seventeen  thousand  one  hundred  and  eighty 
pounds.  The  shell  weighed  two  hundred  and  fifteen  pounds, 
and  this  heavy  projectile  was  hurled  two  miles,  by  twenty- 
three  pounds  of  gunpowder.  On  the  15th,  the  attack  was 
made  on  the  rebel  works,  which  consisted  of  batteries  on  the 
island  and  on  the  banks  of  the  river,  with  guns  of  large  capac 
ity.  It  was  difficult  to  hit  the  batteries  at  two  miles'  distance, 
so  small  was  the  object  presented.  In  a  fortification,  the  result 
would  have  been  different,  but  the  aim,  in  the  present  case, 
required  great  accuracy.  There  was  danger  in  bringing  the 
gunboats  into  the  engagement,  as,  in  case  of  any  accident,  they 
would  lie  at  the  mercy  of  the  enemy's  batteries  down  tho 
river,  which  would  sink  them,  even  if  the  works  were 
carried  on  the  island.  Foote,  therefore,  studied  other 
means  of  attaining  the  end,  while  the  bombardment  con 
tinued  daily.  The  gunners,  who  worked  the  mortars,  wer« 
obliged  to  get  behind  the  wood-work  which  enclosed  these 
oolossai  guns,  to  avoid  .the  concussion  when  they  were 
fired  off. 

Meantime,  General  John  Pope,  by  command  of  General 
Ealleck,  moved  down  from  Commerce  to  Point  Pleasant, 
near  New  Madrid,  a  little  below  the  island,  where  he  heard 
that  a  large  body  of  Confederates  lay  within  their  intrench- 
meuts.  Getting  heavy  guns  from  St.  Louis,  with  incredible 
labor  in  transporting  them  over  nearly  impassable  roads,  he 


CAPTURE    OF   5TEWBERN.  135 

mounted  them,  and  assaulting  the  enemy's  position,  drove 
them  from  it,  and  they  fled,  leaving  in  such  haste  that  every 
thing  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  victors.  The  Federal  loss 
was  fifty  killed  and  wounded.  The  shore  batteries  now 
planted,  sealed  the  rebel  fleet  between  Pope  and  the  island, 
;ind  no  way  existed  of  going  below  by  water.  Pope  could 
only  hold  his  own,  however,  and  was  unable  to  aid  Foote  in 
the  attempt  on  the  island. 

The  reports  which  arrived  of  the  unsuccessful  bombard- 
ine-nt  of  Island  Number  Ten,  had  their  dull  monotony  re- 
lieved by  startling  news  from  the  Burnside  expedition.  It 
was  said  that  this  commander  was  moving  on  Norfolk.  No 
little  apprehension  was  felt  by  many,  that  the  enemy  would 
fall  on  McClellan,  and  crush  him  before  reinforcements  could 
reach,  or  the  gunboats  extend  their  protection.  Intelligence 
suddenly  arrived  of  the  capture  of  the  city  of  Newbern,  and 
the  state  of  gloom  yielded  to  one  of  joyfulness. 

General  Burnside,  on  the  capture  of  Roanoke  Island, 
made  preparations  to  push  his  operations  further,  and  on 
the  10th  of  March  proceeded  through  Pamlico  sound,  with 
the  intention  of  attacking  the  rebel  fortifications  at  Newbern. 

This  place  lies  between  the  confluence  of  the  Neuse  ana 
Trent  rivers,  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  from  Roanoke 
Island.  By  its  capture,  Beaufort,  North  Carolina,  and  Fort 
Macon,  near  the  former  place,  must  fall.  The  rebel  batteries 
were  two  miles  below  Newbern.  The  earthworks,  having  an 
armament  of  forty-six  heavy  guns,  and  extending  nearly  two 
miles,  were  defended  by  a  large  force.  The  troops  landed 
on  the  evening  of  the  13th  of  March,  at  the  mouth  of  Slo- 
cum's  creek,  on  the  west  side  of  the  Neuse,  within  fifteen 
miles  of  Newbern.  The  attack  was  made  on  the  14th,  by 
three  brigades,  under  the  command  of  Generals  Reno,  Park, 
and  Foster.  The  rebels  were  driven  from  the  batteries 
which  they  had  erected  along  the  Neuse.  Felled  timber  in 
front  of  the  intrenchments  made  an  almost  impenetrable 
abatis,  and  four  thousand  rebels  defended  the  works,  with  a 
reserve  at  Newbern  of  the  same  number.  Eight  thousand 
Federals  attacked  the  works,  and  the  conflict  lasted  three 
hours.  The  Federals  fought  at  musket  range,  and,  when 
their  ammunition  was  exhausted,  Burnside  ordered  a  bayo- 
net charge,  which  was  successful  and  won  the  day. 

One  of  the   most   important  advantages  gained  by  tha 


134  ARMY    OF   THE   POTOMAC   IN   MOTTOJT. 

Federals  in  this  battle,  was  a  flank  movement  of  the  second 
and  part  of  the  third  brigade,  under  General  Reno.  The 
rebels  fought  with  great  desperation,  and  compelled  a  por- 
tion of  the  Twenty-first  Massachusetts,  which  had  pressed 
toward  the  intrenchments  with  too  great  eagerness,  to 
retreat.  The  whole  rebel  force,  however,  was  soon  driven 
from  their  intrenchments  with  great  consternation.  They 
fled,  leaving  the  guns  unspiked,  and  these,  with  three  light 
batteries  of  field  artillery,  three  thousand  small  arms,  a  great 
quantity  of  ammunition,  and  three  hundred  prisoners,  fell 
into  the  hands  of  the  Federals.  The  loss  of  the  latter  was 
seventy  killed  and  two  hundred  and  fifty  wounded.  The 
deserted  intrenchments  were  occupied,  and  Burnside,  pressing 
on,  took  possession  of  Newbern,  which  was  nearly  deserted 
by  the  whites,  being  filled  with  negroes,  who  revelled  in 
drunkenness.  The  conquest  of  Newbern  cut  off  railroad 
communication  with  Beaufort,  and  interfered  with  that  of 
Richmond,  Charleston,  and  the  slave  States.  North  Carolina, 
on  the  east,  was  again  under  the  control  of  the  Government, 
and  an  advance  on  Raleigh,  in  the  interior,  or  Fort  Macon, 
on  the  south,  rendered  quite  easy. 

Meanwhile,  Dupont  was  advancing  his  explorations  and 
conquests  on  the  Florida  coast.  Jackson  and  St.  Augustine 
were  occupied,  and  much  Union  sentiment  was  found  to 
exist  in  these  places.  The  greater  portion  of  this  State,  by 
the  clos>  of  the  month,  was  again  under  the  stars  and 
stripes. 

While  the  course  of  events  ran  rapidly  on,  as  hitherto 
described,  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  was  put  in  motion, 
and,  divided  into  five  great  army  corps,  was  advancing 
toward  Manassas. 

A  mountain  department  had  been  added,  including 
Western  Virginia,  over  which  General  John  C.  Fremont 
was  placed. 

General  McClellan,  in  command  of  the  Army  of  the  Poto- 
mac, issued  a  stirring  address  to  the  troops,  commending 
their  discipline,  and  promising  to  lead  them  on  to  victory. 

While  the  people  expected  to  hear  of  the  onset  of  thm 
powerful  army  against  the  rebel  defences,  news  came,  on 
the  llth,  that  Manassas  had  been  evacuated.  The  enemy 
had  taken  to  flight,  and  carried  off  all  that  he  could,  burning 
every  thing  that  it  was  impossible  to  transport.  The  huta 
»  which  they  had  wintered,  however,  were  left  standing. 


BATTLE   OF   WINCHESTER.  186 

Great  public  disappointment  was  experienced  at  the 
escape  of  the  rebel  army,  and  the  barren  triumph  of  occu- 
pying a  deserted  encampment.  The  great  army,  however, 
was  in  motion,  and  immense  columns  were  marching  on 
from  Leesburg  to  Alexandria.  It  was  expected  to  move 
on  until  a  halt  was  made  only  before  the  rebel  capital. 

The  main  rebel  army  was  retreating  behind  the  Rappa- 
hannock,  but  General  Thomas  J.  Jackson  was  still  in  force 
behind  the  Blue  Eidge.  The  expectation  was  cherished, 
that  while  General  Banks  pressed  him  in  front,  the  Federal 
forces  at  Manassas  would  intercept  his  retreat  toward  Rich- 
mond. 

Banks  pursued  the  retiring  forces  of  Jackson  as  far  aa 
Strasburg.  On  the  18th  and  19th,  the  enemy  was  reported 
as  occupying  a  strong  position  at  New  Market,  within  sup- 
porting distance  of  the  main  army.  To  draw  him  from  his 
position,  General  Shields,  who  commanded  the  advance,  fell 
rapidly  back  to  Winchester,  on  the  20th,  and,  by  a  forced 
march  of  thirty  miles  in  one  day,  concealed  his  troops 
on  the  Martinsburg  road,  two  miles  from  the  town.  Banks 
concluded  that  the  feint  had  not  succeeded,  as  Ashby's 
rebel  cavalry  had  appeared  on  his  front.  On  the  23d, 
therefore,  he  sent  his  division  to  Centreville.  The  enemy 
concluded  that  Winchester  was  evacuated,  and  the  inhabi- 
tants signalled  them  to  that  effect.  Shields  saw  the  signals, 
divined  their  meaning,  and  prepared  for  whatever  might 
happen.  His  pickets  were  driven  in  at  five  o'clock  by 
Ashby's  cavalry.  He  despatched  a  brigade  to  prevent  theii 
advance,  and  permitted  only  two  regiments,  with  a  few 
cavalry,  to  be  seen.  This  caused  the  enemy  to  conclude 
there  were  only  a  few  Federals  left  to  defend  Winchester 
At  dark,  Shields  sent  Kimball,  with  a  brigade,  to  take  up  a 
strong  position.  Four  batteries  were  sent  to  support  him. 
Sullivan's  brigade  was  to  protect  the  flanks,  and  Tyler's  waa 
held  in  reserve.  While  these  preparations  were  going  for- 
ward, the  fragment  of  a  shell  broke  Shields'  arm,  so  that  hs 
could  not  lead  in  person. 

A  reconnoissance  at  eight  o'clock  next  morning  showed 
that  Ashby's  cavalry  alone  were  in  sight.  Banks,  not  anti- 
cipating an  attack  upon  him,  left  to  go  after  his  division 
At  ten  o'clock,  however,  it  was  known  that  Jackson  waa 
advancing,  but  with  what  force  could  not  be  ascertained. 


DEFEAT  OF  JACKSON. 

It  soon  became  evident,  as  one  battery  after  another  came 
out  from  where  the  troops  lay  concealed,  took  position,  acd 
began  to  open  fire.  The  Federal  artillery  responded,  and  a 
fierce  cannonade  resulted. 

A  ravine  ran  from  east  to  west,  clear  of  woods.  On  each 
side  was  a  ridge.  These  were  a  mile  apart.  Each  bristled 
with  a  line  of  batteries.  The  Federal  line  looked  to  the 
north ;  that  of  the  rebels  to  the  south. . 

As  the  firing  continued,  the  Federal  infantry  moved  up 
to  support  the  batteries,  at  the  distance  of  a  thousand  yards. 
A  battery,  advanced  by  the  enemy,  was  worked  with  deadly 
accuracy.  Kimball,  who  commanded  in  that  part  of  the 
field,  determined  to  take  this  battery  by  a  flank  movement 
to  the  east.  Six  regiments  moved  into  the  woods  on  the 
right,  while  Colonel  Downing  kept  up  the  firing  in  order  to 
conceal  this  movement. 

The  columns  proceeded  a  mile,  turned,  and  came  suddenly 
on  the  enemy's  flank,  two  hundred  yards  ofi^  strongly 
posted  behind  a  stone  wall.  Their  rifled  guns  opened  a 
deadly  fire  on  the  Federal  troops,  who  fell  in  large  numbers. 

At  the  word  "forward,"  the  troops  advanced  with  loud 
cneexing,  and  reserving  their  fire  till  within  five  paces  of  the 
wall,  poured  a  scathing  volley  on  the  close  ranks  behind  it. 
The  enemy,  unable  to  endure  the  wasting  fire,  turned  back 
over  the  field,  and,  unmasking  two  iron  six  pounders,  swept 
the  Federal  ranks,  which,  regardless  of  danger  and  death, 
rushed  on.  Two  more  brass  pieces  were  now  brought  to 
bear  on  them,  and  they  fell  back.  At  this  crisis,  the  Fifth 
Ohio  and  Eighty-fourth  Pennsylvania  dashed  forward  in  a 
gallant  bayonet  charge.  The  Fifth  Ohio  had  three  color- 
bearers  killed  in  succession.  Captain  Whitcomb  then  took 
them  up,  and  animating  his  men,  fell  as  the  words  were  on 
his  lips.  Dreadful  loss  of  life  ensued.  Colonel  Murray,  at 
the  head  of  the  Eighty -fourth  Pennsylvania,  was  shot,  and 
many  brave  officers  and  men  were  killed  or  wounded. 

The  arrival  of  Captain  Scribner,  with  the  Tenth  and 
Fourteenth  Indiana  regiments,  caused  the  enemy  to  fall  back, 
and  leave  a  gun  and  several  caissons  behind. 

Meantime,  the  rebel  flank  was  turned.  A  general  advance 
swept  the  rebel  line,  and  the  hard  fought  field  was  won. 
Three  hundred  prisoners,  two  guns,  four  caissons,  and  a 
thousand  stand  of  arms  were  the  fruits  of  the  victory.  Th* 


PURSUIT  OF   THE    ENEMY  137 

enemy  lost  one  thousand  killed  and  wounded.  The  Fevlera! 
loss  was  three  hundred  and  forty.  General  Jackson,  who 
commanded  the  Confederates  in  this  fight,  was  afterward 
known  under  the  sobriquet  of  "  Stonewall  Jackson." 

Banks  arriving  on  the  field  the  next  morning,  the  enemy 
was  pursued,  and  his  rear  harassed  as  far  as  Woodstock. 
The  dead  and  dying  filled  the  houses  for  twenty  miles. 

At  the  end  of  the  month,  the  President  recommended 
giving  pecuniary  aid  and  co-operation  to  any  State  "  which 
nuy  adopt  a  gradual  diminution  of  slavery." 


CHAPTER  XIV. 
APRIL,  1862. 

•LAND  HUMBXR  TEN — CHANNEL  CUT  BOUND  IT — TRANSPORTS  PAS! 
THROUGH — ATTACK  ON  UNION  CITT — SPIKING  OF  A  BATTERY — QtTK- 
BOAT8  KUN  TIIK  BATTERIES — POPE  CROSSES  THE  MISSISSIPPI  AND  CAP- 
TURES THE  ENEMY SURRENDER  OF  ISLAND  NUMBER  TEN BATTLE  OF 

PITT8BURG  LANDING,  FIRST  DAY — SURPRISE  OF  SHERMAN'S  AND  ntBK- 
TI881  DIVISIONS — GUNBOATS  TAKE  PART  IN  THE  BATTLE — SECOND  DAY'g 
BATTLE — DISPOSITION  OF  THE  FORCKS — SANITARY  COMMISSION. 

IN  the  beginning  of  April,  1862,  the  public  interest  was 
centered  on  the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  Some  anticipated 
movements,  about  to  be  made,  were  withdrawn,  and  certain 
stirring  news  from  the  "West,  again  made  the  great  Father 
of  Waters  the  centre  of  attraction.  The  bombardment  of 
Island  Number  Ten,  on  the  Mississippi,  was  a  tedious  pro- 
cess which  wearied  the  people,  and  the  possession  of  the 
place  seemed  as  remote  as  ever.  To  send  transports  to 
Pope  below  would  facilitate  the  work,  and  a  plan  was  laid 
for  this  purpose. 

A  lake  extended  inland  through  a  swamp  from  the  river 
where  the  fleet  lay,  and  communicated  with  a  stream  which 
fell  into  the  Mississippi  below  Island  Number  Ten,  and  not 
far  from  New  Madrid.  If  Commodore  Foote  should  be 
able  to  send  some  light  transports  through  this  lake,  he 
could  protect  them  from  the  batteries  by  means  of  gun- 
ooats.  Pope  undertook  to  perform  this  task,  and  when 
taking  his  position  at  New  Madrid,  sent  Colonel  Bissell,  of 
the  engineers,  to  see  if  batteries  could  be  erected  on  shore 
opposite  the  enemy's  works.  The  undertaking  was  reported 
by  Bissell  as-  impossible,  but  that  he  could  cut  a  way 
through  the  lake  for  transports.  Pope  gave  him  permis- 
sion to  obtain  all  that  lie  needed,  and  he  at  once  sent  to 
Cairo  for  four  steamboats,  six  flats,  and  as  many  guns  as 
could  be  obtained.  lie  was  to  undertake  the  herculean 
task  of  opening  a  channel,  twelve  miles  long,  through  tim- 
ber, crooked  bayous,  brush,  and  stunted  trees.  Some  of  the 
trees,  six  feet  in  girth,  had  to  be  sawed  ofl*  four  feet  below 
(138) 


ATTACK   ON    ISLAND   NUMBER  TEN.  189 

the  water.  Twenty  men,  with  machines  on  rafts  and  flats, 
cut  down  the  trees,  and  large  gangs  of  men  ahead  of  them 
cleared  away  the  drift  wood  and  fallen  timber.  Then  came 
two  barges  and  a  steamer,  the  last  hauling  out  the  heavy 
'ogs  by  means  of  lines.  The  fleet  came  last,  and  the  flat 
boats  carried  batteries,  as  the  enemy  might  find  out  what 
was  going  on,  and  attack  them  with  sharpshooters  from  the 
swamp.  With  incredible  labor,  this  great  feat  of  engineer- 
ing skill  was  performed,  and  the  Federal  commander  who 
originated  it  received  much  praise. 

While  this  great  undertaking  was  being  carried  out,  two 
brilliant  exploits  diversified  the  dullness  of  the  flotilla 
above  the  island.  Colonel  Buford,  with  one  thousand  men, 
drove  the  rebels  from  Union  City  by  a  surprise  in  the  night, 
which  caused  them  to  leave  behind  all  their  camp  equipage. 
The  enemy  had  been  very  troublesome  to  the  Union  men 
of  llickman.  Another  exploit,  was  a  night  attack  by  boats 
upon  the  upper  battery  on  the  island.  The  officers  were 
weary  of  the  slow  prospect  of  taking  the  enemy's  works, 
and  the  men,  also,  were  wearied  by  two  weeks'  idleness.  An 
expedition  of  fifty  men,  with  five  boats,  was  therefore  pre- 
pared, under  Colonel  Roberts,  for  the  purpose  of  getting  at 
the  upper  battery  unperceived  and  spiking  the  guns.  On 
the  night  of  the  2d  of  April,  the  little  force  left  the  shore, 
dropped  down  the  river,  and  getting  opposite  the  battery, 
landed,  formed  in  line,  and  with  bayonets  fixed,  started  for 
it,  at  the  distance  of  two  hundred  yards.  They  had  to 
wade  through  two  feet  of  water  which  had  overflowed,  but 
except  the  splashing  made  by  their  feet  in  the  water,  all 
was  still.  The  storm  which  had  threatened,  now  burst 
forth,  and  they  reached  to  the  ditch  in  front  of  the  works. 
They  now  saw  a  flash  in  front,  the  crack  of  a  gun  was 
heard,  followed  by  another,  and  while  they  pursued  the 
affrighted  sentry  who  fired  it,  another  crack  was  imme- 
diately heard.  The  flash  of  lightning  which  lit  up  the 
darkness  was  followed  by  loud  roars  of  thunder.  The 
enemy  knew  that  some  design  was  on  foot,  and,  if  any 
thing  could  be  done,  it  must  be  done  promptly.  The 
colonel  spiked  five  guns,  and  a  splendid  ten  inch  Colum- 
biad ;  thus,  in  ten  minutes,  achieving  what  the  cannonading 
of  the  fleet  in  a  fortnight  failed  to  perform. 

Movements  cf  greater  importance  were  now  about  to 


140  ATTACK   ON   ISLAND   NUMBER  TO(. 

take  place,  one  or  two  gunboats  were  required  to  protect 
the  transports  which  now  arrived  at  New  Madrid,  in  carry- 
ing troops  to  the  other  side.  Consequently,  two  days  after 
the  exploit  of  Colonel  Roberts,  the  Carondelet  was  prepared 
to  run  the  risk  of  passing  the  batteries.  Chains  was  coiled 
round  the  pilot  house,  the  guns  were  run  in  and  the  ports 
closed.  The  crew  was  well  armed,  and  twenty  sharp- 
shooters were  also  aboard.  On  the  side  next  the  batteries, 
was  a  boat  loaded  with  hay,  which  was  balanced  by  a  barge 
freighted  with  coal  on  the  other  side.  At  ten  o'clock  on 
the  night  of  the  4th,  the  Carondelet  started  on  its  hazardous 
voyage.  The  night  being  very  dark,  and  the  rain  falling  in 
torrents,  accompanied  with  thunder,  perfectly  concealed  the 
movements  of  the  vessel,  though,  at  intervals,  lightning 
shot  athwart  the  sky,  and  the  mighty  Mississippi  resounded 
with  the  echoes  of  conflicting  elements.  The  Carondelet 
steered  her  course  for  the  batteries  wrapped  in  the  thunder- 
storm. With  breathless  awe,  those  left  behind  listened  for 
the  first  gun  which  should  announce  her  discovery  to  the 
enemy.  The  soot  of  the  chimneys,  at  this  critical  moment, 
caught  fire,  and  the  flames,  though  soon  subsiding,  by  open- 
ing the  flue  caps,  incurred  the  risk  of  revealing  her  purpose. 
All  expected  the  signal  of  discovery  to  be  raised,  which 
would  give  the  warning  to  each  battery,  but  as  none 
appeared,  the  hope  sprang  up  that  the  blinding  storm  had 
concealed  the  approach.  Just  as  the  vessel  was  abreast 
of  upper  fort,  the  chimneys  again  caught  fire  and  blazed 
in  the  face  of  the  enemy.  Signal  rockets  rose.  The  roll 
of  drums,  and  the  explosion  of  a  cannon  shook  the  shores. 
The  Carondelet  swept  on  in  silence;  the  soundings  were 
taken  amid  the  whistling  balls,  which  threatened  the  de 
struction  of  the  vessel,  even  should  she  be  able  in  the  dark 
ness  to  keep  the  channel.  She  was  near  shoal  water,  when 
the  flash  from  the  guns  revealed  the  danger  of  grounding, 
and  she  swung  back  into  the  channel,  keeping  near  the 
enemy's  guns,  so  that  they  could  not  be  depressed  suflB 
ciently  to  reach  her.  She  got  out  of  range  at  last,  the  con 
certed  signals  told  those  above  the  island  that  she  was  safe, 
and  at  New  Madrid  it  was  known  that  friends  were  coming. 
There  was  loud  exultation  in  the  fleet  above,  and  the  army 
below.  The  soldiers  at  New  Madrid,  overjoyed  to  see  the 
sailors  arrive  in  safety,  after  their  perilous  voyage,  carried 

1 


iDBBENDER   OF   ISLAND  NUMBER  TEN.  141 

them  in  their  arms  to  the  hotel.  On  Sunday  eight  the 
Pittsburg  also  passed  uninjured  by  the  batteries.  Thus  the 
doom  of  Island  Number  Ten  was  sealed.  The  batteries  on 
th«  Kentucky  shore  were  soon  silenced  by* the  gunboats 
and  Pope's  army  crossed.  The  rebel  army  scattered  in  the 
woods,  and  five  thousand  were  at  last  captured.  The  rebel 
commander  on  the  island,  General  William  D.  McCall,  then 
capitulated  with  a  few  hundred  men.  A  hundred  heavy 
guns,  several  field  batteries,  small  arms  in  abundance,  tents, 
wagons,  horses,  and  provisions,  were  the  fruit  of  the  vic- 
tory. Great  joy  was  diffused  throughout  the  North.  The 
great  Mississippi  was  now  open  as  far  as  Forts  Wright  and 
Pillow,  sixty  miles  above  Memphis,  and  Foote  prepared  to 
attack  these  also. 

Meanwhile,  a  great  battle  was  in  progress  at  Pittsburg 
Landing  on  the  banks  of  the  Tennessee.  Thus,  on  the  same 
Sunday  ni^ht  on  which  the  Pittsburg  ran  the  enemy's  bat- 
teries, the  two  armies  lay  on  the  field  where  they  had  fought 
desperately  the  entire  day ;  and  when  our  troops  were  cross- 
ing to  victory  on  the  Kentucky  shore,  our  army  was  strug- 
gling to  recover  the  field  which  it  had  lost  the  preceding 
day.  The  battle  of  Pittsburg  Landing,  or  Shiloh,  lasted  two 
days.  It  commenced  on  the  6th  of  April. 

It  has  been  already  related  that  Johnston,  after  retreating 
south,  through  Tennessee,  proceeded  toward  Memphis,  and 
subsequently  massed  his  army  at  Corinth,  in  Mississippi, 
near  the  Tennessee  line,  ninety -three  miles  from  Memphis. 

General  Ulysses  S.  Grant  had  moved  up  the  Tennessee 
river,  and  placed  his  army  on  the  west  bank,  at  Pittsburg 
Landing,  where  he  awaited  Buell's  corps  from  Nashville. 
The  design  was  to  combine  their  forces,  and  advance  on  the 
rebel  camp  at  Corinth.  Johnston  moved  his  entire  arrny 
on  the  4th  of  April,  intending  to  assault  Grant  on  Satur- 
day, but  oad  roads  detained  him  until  Sunday  morning. 
There  is  a  road  from  Pittsburg  Landing  to  Corinth,  distant 
twenty  miles.  This  road,  two  miles  from  the  Tennessee, 
river,  divides,  and  while  one  fork  continues  right  on  in  its 
course,  the  other  runs  to  lower  Corinth.  From  Hamburg 
Landing,  some  miles  up  the  river,  a  road  crosses  that  before 
mentioned.  Two  roads  Inuuch  off  on  the  right,  in  the 
direction  of  Purdy.  it  was  on  these  several  roads,  and 
between  them,  at  a  distance  of  from  twc  to  five  milos  frora 


£42  BATTLE   OF   P1TTSBURG   LANDING. 

Pittsburg  Landing,  that  the  Federal  army  lay  encamped 
The  divisions  furthest  advanced  were  those  of  Prentiss, 
Sherman,  and  McClernand.  Hurlbut's  and  Smith's  divisions 
lay  between  them  and  the  river.  Smith  being  sick,  his 
division  was  commanded  by  W.  H.  L.  Wallace.  Sherman's 
brigade  held  the  right,  Prentiss  the  centre,  and  Colonel 
Stuart  the  left.  The  extreme  left  was  deemed  sufficiently 
protected  by  precipices  and  a  ravine. 

On  the  rebel  side,  General  A.  S.  Johnston  commanded,  and 
had  especial  charge  of  the  centre ;  Generals  Braxton  Bragg 
and  T.  P.  G.  Beauregard  commanded  the  two  wings;  and 
Hardee,  Polk,  and  Breckinridge  held  subordinate  positions. 
Their  plan  was  to  make  an  attack  on  the  Federal  centre, 
and  then  on  each  of  the  wings,  front  and  flank.  The  rebel 
troops  numbered  seventy  thousand  men. 

The  enemy  attacked  the  Federals  as  some  were  at  break- 
fast, and  others  lying  around.  It  was  a  complete  surprise. 
The  pickets  had  been  driven  in  suddenly,  and  the  enemy's 
artillery  cast  shot  and  shell  among  the  regiments.  So  un- 
expected was  the  assault,  that  officers  were  bayoneted  before 
they  rose  from  their  beds.  There  was  a  general  panic  before 
any  line  of  battle  could  be  formed.  The  attack  on  Buck- 
land's  brigade  of  Sherman's  division,  was  made  so  suddenly 
that  the  officers  had  not  time  to  dress.  The  men,  snatching  up 
their  muskets  as  best  they  could,  ran  to  the  other  portion 
of  the  division  in  the  utmost  disorder.  Sherman  made  her- 
culean efforts  to  get  the  division  in  position  to  abide  the 
coming  shock.  McClernand,  meanwhile,  was  trying  to  fill 
up  the  gap  caused  by  Buckland's  disordered  flight,  and  was 
gallantly  stemming  the  tide  of  battle,  amid  the  rolling  smoke, 
the  crash  of  muskets,  and  the  roar  of  artillery.  Sherman 
saw  that  he  could  not  resist  the  fearful  odds  which  were 
hurled  against  him,  and  issued  the  order  to  fall  back. 

Meanwhile,  the  division  of  Prentiss  was  in  a  more  deplor- 
able plight.  It  is  true  that  there  was  time  to  form  in  line 
of  battle,  but,  being  drawn  up  in  an  open  field,  they  were 
exposed  to  a  murderous  fire,  poured  on  them  by  the  enemy 
from  the  edge  of  the  woods,  and  were  mowed  down  with 
great  slaughter.  They  stood  their  ground  with  cool  cour- 
age, and  their  volleys  were  rapid  and  steady.  But  Grant 
not  on  the  field,  and  there  was  little  concert  of  action, 

each  commander  could  oniv  ia*e  care  of  his  own,  divi- 


BATTLE   OF   PITTSBURG    LANDING.  143 

hold  his  ground,  and  wait  for  support.  Hence,  no 
regular  line  of  battle  could  be  formed,  and  while  the  Federal 
forces  could  adopt  no  connected  plan,  the  rebel  army,  as 
one -machine,  was  hurled  on  the  disorganized  troops.  Pren- 
tiss  was  outflanked,  and  saw  himself  enclosed  by  the  enemy. 
The  disorganized  portion  of  his  division,  numbering  three 
thousand  men,  surrendered  and  were  marched  to  the  rear. 
The  insolent  foe  drove  the  other  regiments  of  this  division 
before  them  like  a  flock  of  sheep. 

One  brigade  after  another  was  brought  up  by  McClemand 
to  support  Sherman.  Desperate  grew  the  struggle  which 
ensued,  and  cannon  and  musketry  rolled  their  continuous 
thunders  over  the  bloody  field,  and  the  audacious  enemy 
rushed  up  to  the  mouth  of  the  cannon,  and  took  several. 
Desperate  hand  to  hand  fights  ensued,  and  the  stubborn 
resistance  of  Sherman,  though  the  sacrifice  of  life  was  great, 
kept  the  army  from  being  driven  in  dismay  into  the  river. 
The  enemy,  if  not  repulsed,  was  checked  for  awhile.  Mc- 
Clernand  held  his  ground  with  great  pertinacity,  but  the  gap 
".eft  by  Sherman  in  retiring,  laid  him  open  to  a  flank  move 
ment,  and  the  head  of  the  enemy's  columns  was  dashing  with 
all  their  speed  at  him.  At  this  moment,  the  rifled  guns 
from  Dresser's  battery  swept  the  road  with  a  destructive 
fire,  and  the  enemy  paused.  Reinforcements,  however, 
strengthened  the  forces  of  the  enemy,  and  one  charge  re- 
pulsed, was  only  succeeded  by  another  more  desperate. 
Many  Federal  officers  of  the  line  fell.  The  artillery  horses 
were  shot  by  scores,  and  as  the  guns  could  not  be  withdrawn 
from  the  field,  they  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy.  The 
half  of  Swartz's  guns,  and  sixteen  horses  of  the  battery  were 
lost.  Dresser  lost  some  rifled  pieces  and  thirty-two  horses, 
tnd  McAllister  half  of  his  howitzers.  The  division,  at 
eleven  o'clock,  was  driven  back,  and  on  a  line  with  Hurl- 
but's,  which,  though  fighting  well,  and  at  times  repelling 
the  enemy,  was  at  last  obliged  to  retreat.  Colonel  Stuart, 
in  command  of  a  brigade  on  Sherman's  extreme  left,  would 
have  been  cut  off,  but  had  been  fortunately  overlooked  by 
the  enemy.  Two  rebel  brigades  were  now  sent  to  attack 
him,  and  he  fell  back.  The  enemy  pursued,  and  a  bloody 
combat  followed.  The  gallant  brigade  had  to  retreat,  with 
its  wounded  commander,  in  ten  minutes,  but  made  a  stand 
for  upward  of  an  hour  CHI  a  wooded  hill  McArtUur'g 


144  BATTLE    OF   PITTSBURO    LANDING. 

brigade,  which  was  sent  to  its  aid,  lost  its  way,  and  was 
driven  back  again  and  again,  till  it  had  to  be  sent  to  the 
rear  to  reform. 

At  twelve  o'clock,  the  camps  of  Sherman,  Prentiss,'and 
McClernand  were  in  the  possession  of  the  enemy,  who  were 
still  advancing.  The  arrival  of  Grant,  from  Savannah,  a 
few  miles  down  the  river,  could  not  stay  the  disorder,  or 
prevent  a  retreat.  Wallace's  division,  at  Crump's  Landing, 
had  been  ordered  up  in  the  morning,  and  would  have 
strengthened  the  right,  but  it  lost  its  way,  and,  had  this  been 
known  to  the  enemy,  the  result  would  have  been  fatal. 

Hurlbut  put  his  division  into  position,  and  animated  his 
men.  Sherman  drew  up  the  remains  of  his  brigade,  and 
saw  that  the  crisis  was  imminent.  The  rebel  troops  now 
rushed  on,  flushed  with  victory,  but  were  forced  back. 
They  advanced  again,  with  desperate  efforts,  and  were  again 
obliged  to  flee  to  the  thicket.  The  leaders  led  on  fresh  regi- 
ments. Terrible  carnage  followed,  and  the  rebel  General 
A.  S.  Johnston  was  slain.  For  a  third  time  the  enemy  was 
repelled,  but  fresh  troops  always  came  up,  and  the  wasted 
Federal  forces  were  compelled  to  fall  back,  while  the  rebels 
pressed  on,  covering  the  field  with  the  slain. 

The  entire  left  wing  was  forced  back  to  the  river,  where 
thousands  were  crowded,  without  boats,  and  were  in  danger 
of  being  massacred  by  the  exultant  enemy.  Wallace,  on 
the  extreme  right,  nobly  held  his  ground,  and  four  times 
repelled  the  foe.  The  reserve  line  was  carried,  and  the 
army  now  contracted  into  the  area  of  half  a  mile.  The  sun 
was  on  the  decline,  and  the  whole  army  was  now  on  the 
brink  of  destruction.  Just  then  a  body  of  cavalry — Buell's 
advance — was  seen.  Help  was  near.  Buell's  columns  were 
approaching  the  Tennessee,  and  the  wily  foe  bore  down  on 
the  crowded  and  disorganized  Federal  columns  to  crush 
•hem,  and  thus  verify  the  prediction  of  Beauregard,  that, 
ere  night  fell,  his  horse  would  drink  from  the  Tennessee. 
The  enemy  reckoned  without  his  host.  At  the  critical 
moment,  Colonel  Webster,  chief  of  staff]  skilled  as  an  artil- 
lerist, had  collected  all  the  guns,  some  of  large  calibre,  from 
the  broken  batteries,  and  arranged  them  in  crescent  form 
around  the  landing.  Collecting  a  force  of  artillerists,  he 
was  ready  when  the  heavy  columns  of  the  enemy  advanced. 
Suddenly  tweutv-one  guas  seat  forth  a  deadly  fire  among 


BATTLE    OF   PITTSBURG   LANDING.  145 

the  closed  ranks,  and  the  enemy  recoiled,  again  to  advance. 
The  gunboats  Tyler  and  Lexington  now  moved  down  th« 
bank,  and,  with  their  twenty-four  pound  Parrott  guns  and 
rifled  cannon,  sent  the  shrieking  shells  bursting  among  the 
terrified  ranks  of  the  rebels.  They  halted,  turned,  and  re- 
tired from  the  range  of  these  destructive  engines.  Mean- 
while, General  Nelson,  commanding  Buell's  advance,  crossed 
the  Tennessee,  and  opened  a  heavy  fire  on  the  enemy  with 
*  battery  of  artillery.  The  rebels  withdrew,  and  bivouacked 
on  the  bloody  field.  Buell's  army  was  coming  up  rapidly. 
Nelson's  division  was  across  the  river,  and  Crittenden's  was 
placed  in  front  of  Sherman's  broken  line.  McCook's  divi- 
sion had  reached  Savannah,  and  was  waiting  to  be  brought 
up  to  the  field  of  battle.  The  regular  batteries,  commanded 
by  Captains  Mendenhall  and  Terrell,  and  an  Ohio  battery, 
arrived  in  the  night ;  and  Captain  Bartlett  brought  word 
that  the  rest  would  be  up  early  in  the  morning.  The 
news  of  this  powerful  reinforcement  at  hand  animated 
the  brave  men  who  had  fought  against  such  odds ;  and, 
though  defeated,  they  felt  that  returning  day  would  turn 
the  scale  of  victory  in  their  favor.  At  five  o'clock  in 
the  morning,  oo  the  7th  of  April,  Nelson  and  Crittenden 
advanced  upon  the  enemy,  drove  in  his  pickets,  and  at 
seven  o'clock  neared  his  line  of  battle.  Crittenden  formed 
on  the  right  ®f  Nelson,  with  Bartlett's  battery  in  the  centre. 
The  sound  of  cannon  shook  the  field,  and  told  those  at  the 
landing  that  the  battle  was  begun.  McCook  took  position 
on  the  right  of  Crittenden ;  and  Wallace,  with  three  bri 
gades,  held  the  extreme  right,  and  opened  with  artillery  at 
seven  o'clock.  A  grand  artillery  duel  was  for  some  time 
kept  up.  Nelson's  line  first  engaged  the  enemy  in  a  bloody 
contest.  Colonel  Hazen,  of  the  nineteenth  brigade,  captured 
A  battery,  but  was  compelled  to  relinquish  it.  The  lines  of 
Nelson,  however,  still  kept  steadily  advancing,  sweeping  the 
field  lost  the  day  before,  which  was  yet  strewed  with  the 
dead  of  the  combatants.  Crittenden  pressed  the  enemy 
back  in  his  front ;  and  Smith's  brigade,  by  a  gallant  dash, 
captured  a  battery,  to  recover  which  the  enraged  foe  charged 
again  and  again.  The  combat  was  deadly  for  half  an  hour, 
on  this  spot.  The  splendid  troops  of  McCook  rr  oved  on ;  and 
now  the  Federal  line,  a  mile  and  a  half  in  extent,  advanced 
with  slow  majestic  tread  again*5*  *"ie  enemy,  who,  under  coyer 
13 


146  BATTLE   OF   PITTSBUBG   LANDING. 

of  the  thickets,  made  a  desperate  rally,  and  hurled  such  * 
powerful  force  on  Nelson's  division  that  it  recoiled,  faltered, 
and  finally  fell  back.  The  compact  masses  of  the  foe  were 
assailed,  at  this  critical  moment,  by  Terrell's  regular  bat- 
tery, raining  shells  from  the  twenty-four  pound  howitzers. 
They  staggered,  but  rallied  again,  and,  undaunted,  marched 
p  to  the  death-dealing  guns,  and  horses  and  gunners  alike 
arent  doirn,  till  there  was  not  a  man  remaining  at  one  of  the 
pieces.  Terrell  and  a  corporal  worked  one  of  the  guns  till 
saved  by  the  dash  of  a  regiment.  Nelson  kept  his  men  well 
in  hand,  but  the  rally  of  the  foe,  which  at  first  had  caused 
him  to  give  way,  swept  on,  in  turn,  to  Crittenden,  who  had 
to  take  up  a  new  position.  The  exultant  enemy  followed 
up  his  success  till  his  ranks  were  swept  by  the  death-bolta 
hurled  by  Mendenhall's  and  Bartlett's  artillery. 

Meanwhile,  Buell  seeing  the  determined  resistance  of  the 
enemy,  ordered  an  advance  by  brigades,  at  the  double-quick. 
The  enemy,  recoiling  from  the  terrible  line  of  glittering 
steel,  and  the  simultaneous  movement  of  that  great  host, 
fell  back  step  by  step,  as  the  Federal  divisions  pressed  on. 
They  lost  all  the  ground  which  had  been  won  the  day  before. 
The  foe  was  now  in  confusion,  being  mowed  down  in  platoons 
oy  the  musketry  and  artillery.  On  the  same  spot  where  the 
Federal  defeat  had  taken  place  on  the  previous  day,  all  the 
guns  lost  on  that  part  of  the  field  were  recaptured,  and  two 
of  the  enemy's  captured  in  turn.  A  last  and  desperate 
stand  was  made  in  front  of  McCook's  division,  but  could  not 
drive  him  back,  though  he  was  exposed  to  a  flank  move- 
ment. 

Wallace  had  a  desperate  encounter  with  a  rebel  lino, 
which  seemed,  as  regiment  after  regiment  poured  in,  to  be 
interminable.  Cannonading  on  both  sides  extended  along 
the  whole  front,  till  he  sent  sharpshooters  to  pick  off  the 
gunners.  Waiting  for  Sherman,  at  last  that  leader  brought 
up  the  remnant  of  his  brave  division,  and  advanced  on  the 
rebel  lines.  Sherman  rode  along  where  the  bullets  flew 
thickest,  and  roused  the  courage  of  his  men  to  a  high  degree 
His  horse  was  killed,  but  he  sprang  on  another,  and  gave 
the  order,  "  forward."  The  woods  were  gained,  one  of  the 
enemy's  batteries  flanked,  and  here  the  scale  of  victory  pre- 
ponderated to  the  Federal  side.  Wallace,  seeing  the  rebel 
guna  limbering  up,  was  upon  them.  The  whole  line  heard 


DEFEAT   OF   THE    ENEMY.  147 

the  order,  "  forward,"  and  pressed  on  the  enemy,  till  he  was 
driven  to  the  woods.  By  a  determined  stand  here,  Sher- 
man's division  was  forced  back ;  but  though  wounded  twice, 
and  having  three  horses  shot  under  him,  he  rallied  his  brave 
troops,  and  hurled  them  on  the  foe,  being  distinguished  on 
this  hard-fought  field  as  the  hero  of  heroes.  The  tide  of 
battle,  beginning  on  the  left,  had  rolled  like  a  wave  on  to 
the  right.  The  enemy  had  tried  to  find  an  unguarded  or 
weak  point,  but  now  fell  back  slowly,  till  driven  beyond  the 
last  Federal  camp.  Three  thousand  cavalry  in  reserve  were 
now  ordered  to  charge  them.  But  the  enemy  retired  in 
order,  and  planting  his  artillery,  hurled  destruction  on  the 
victorious  columns  which  attempted  to  turn  their  defeat 
into  a  complete  rout.  Buell  gave  the  order  to  halt,  and  the 
wearied"  troops  bivouacked  on  the  field. 

General  Johnston,  the  rebel  leader,  and  Johnson,  the  pro- 
visional governor  of  Kentucky,  were  among  the  rebel  dead. 
The  losses  on  both  sides  were  nearly  equal.  The  Federals 
lost  in  killed,  wounded,  and  missing,  including  three  thou- 
sand prisoners,  almost  fourteen  thousand.  The  loss  of  the 
enemy  was  estimated  about  the  same. 

The  first  day  was  a  defeat ;  the  second  a  victory,  but 
dearly  purchased.  McClernand  lost  nearly  a  third  of  his 
whole  force. 

The  field  presented  a  ghastly  spectacle.  The  enemy  had 
left  his  dead.  Ten  thousand  of  the  same  race  and  nation  lay 
cold  in  death  on  this  ensanguined  field,  while  twice  that  num- 
ber were  wounded.  The  Sanitary  Commission  here  rendered 
the  most  invaluable  service ;  the  ordinary  means  of  supply 
being  inefficient,  and  nurses,  as  well  as  physicians,  too  few. 

In  this  battle,  the  rebel  army  on  the  first  day  was  well 
fought.  Want  of  united  action,  partly  the  consequence  of 
surprise,  was  the  cause  which,  next  to  overwhelming  num- 
bers, caused  the  Federal  reverse.  It  was  a  bloody  battle  on 
both  sides,  and  such  as  this  continent  had  never  before 
witnessed 


CHAPTER  XV. 
APRIL,  1862. 

iIJ*KDmON  .GAINST  NEW  ORLEANS — THE  DIFFICULTIES  TO  BE  tKOCUS- 
TERED — BOMBARDMENT  OF  THE  FORTS — FIRK  RAFTS — FAR5AOUT  RCJWI 
THE  BATLERIES — TERRIBLE  ENGAGEMENT — THE  SURRENDER  OF  NXW 
ORLEANS,  FORTS,  ETC.,  ETC. — GENERAL  BUTLER  OCCUPIES  THE  CITY — 

FARRAGUT   COMMANDS    A    GENERAL    THANKSGIVING EXTRACTS    FROM 

PORTER'S  LETTERS,  ETC. 

AFTER  the  battle  before  described,  there  was  no  move- 
ment in  that  locality;  and  the  rest  of  Buell's  division-iiaving 
arrived,  General  Halleck  hastened  to  the  field,  assumed  the 
command,  and  began  to  reorganize  the  army. 

Meantime,  the  enemy  were  fortifying  at  Corinth.  Foote 
commenced  to  operate  against  Fort  Wright.  General  Mit- 
chell, of  Buell's  army,  marched  on  Huntsville,  Alabama, 
and,  without  loss,  took  it,  and  captured  two  hundred 
prisoners.  He  also  seized  the  railroad  and  fifteen  locomo- 
tives. In  the  telegraph  office  he  found  a  despatch,  in  which 
the  forces  of  Beauregard  were  enumerated,  and  a  request  by 
him  for  reinforcements. 

The  month  of  April  ended  favorably  to  the  Union  arms, 
by  giving  to  the  Government  possession  of  New  Orleans ; 
a  crushing  blow  to  the  Southern  Confederacy,  and  going 
far  to  open  the  Mississippi  once  more  to  the  commerce  of 
the  world. 

In  the  month  of  February  past,  a  fleet  of  gunboats  under 
Captain  D.  S.  Farragut,  and  a  mortar  fleet  under  Porter,  had 
set  sail  for  some  unknown  point.  Intelligence  was  received 
that  it  had  left  Ship  island,  where  it  had  remained  for  som* 
time,  for  New  Orleans,  and  that  a  land  force  had  accompanied 
it,  under  General  Benjamin  F.  Butler.  The  approach  to  New 
Orleans  was  commanded  by  two  strong  forts,  Jackson  and  St. 
Philip,  which,  together,  mounted  two  hundred  and  twenty- 
five  guns.  A  heavy  chain  reached  across  the  channel,  under 
fire  of  the  batteries,  and  any  vessel  could  be  sunk  that  at- 
tempted to  remove  it.  Several  heavy  rams,  iron-clad  gun- 
boats, together  with  fire  rafts  and  huge  masses  of  drift  wood 
(148) 


FOOTE 


EXPEDITION  AGAINST   NEW   ORLEANS. 

defended  ,he  entrance,  and  these  obstacles  lay  in  the  course 
as  Farragut  and  Porter  sailed  up  the  river.  The  inortar 
boats  had  a  difficult  task  to  ascend  the  swift  current.  The 
whole  force,  consisting  of  forty-six  armed  vessels,  carrying 
two  hundred  and  eighty-six  guns,  and  twenty-one  mortars. 
It  was  a  splendid  fleet,  but  had  great  difficulties  to  sur- 
mount. The  bombardment  began  on  the  18th,  and  two 
thousand  shells  were  cast  into  the  forts  the  first  day.  Green 
foliage,  and  a  position  near  trees  by  the  river  side,  concealed 
the  mortar  boats ;  the  vessels  on  the  other  side,  were  con- 
cealed by  tall  reeds  covered  by  flags  and  rushes.  Captain 
Gurdes  and  the  coast  survey  party  had  ascertained,  under 
the  fire  of  the  enemy,  by  triangulation,  the  precise  distance 
between  the  forts  and  the  fleet. 

The  enemy  sent  down  a  fire  raft  heaped  up  with  pitch 
pine  wood,  which  sent  forth  dense  columns  of  smoke  on  the 
waters,  and  blazed  and  crackled  like  a  forest  on  fire.  Two 
vessels  in  the  advance,  dropped  down  the  stream,  having 
slipped  their  cables  on  the  approach  of  the  raft.  Nothing 
explosive  was  on  the  raft,  and  it  floated  by.  Porter  pre- 
pared for  a  similar  one,  by  ordering  all  the  row-boats  to  be 
provided  with  grapnels,  ropes,  buckets,  and  axes.  All  the 
boats  were  reviewed  at  sunset,  and  as  night  fell,  a  dense 
column  of  smoke  was  seen  to  rise  from  the  river  near  the 
forts.  A  hundred  boats  were  ready  for  action,  and  a  fire 
raft  of  immense  size  floated  down  the  stream.  The  West- 
field  opened  her  steam  valves  and  dashed  in  upon  it,  while 
a  hose  was  turned  on  it,  and  a  stream  of  water  played  on 
the  raft.  The  sailors  in  the  boats  used  buckets  and  ropes, 
and  towed  the  raft  ashore.  There  was  such  a  constant 
interchange  of  shots  for  a  weeK,  between  the  forts  and  the 
fleet,  that  the  gunners  on  the  mortar  boats  were  overcome 
with  fatigue.  The  chain  across  the  river  had  now  been  cut, 
and  Farragut  resolved  to  run  the  batteries  and  rams,  and 
force  his  way  up  to  New  Orleans. 

All  was  ready  on  the  23d  of  April,  and  signal  lanterns 
were  hoisted  from  the  Hartford's  mizzen  peak.  The 
silence  was  unbroken,  except  by  the  sound  of  a  gun  oc- 
casionally fr^m  the  boats  on  watch.  On  the  appearance  of 
the  signals,  all  was  bustle — chains  rattled,  anchors  were 
heaved,  and  the  words  of  command  rang  out  distinctly 
One  hour  an  i  a  half  elapsed,  and  the  flag-ship  Hartford, 


150         BOMBARDMENT   OF   'IHK    TORTS — FIRE   RAFTS. 

with  the  Richmond,  Brooklyn,  and  six  gunboats,  steered 
right  on  Fort  Jackson.  The  Pensacola,  Mississippi,  Oneida, 
and  Varuna,  under  Captain  Bailey,  with  four  gunboats,  pro- 
ceeded to  attack  Fort  Philip.  Porter,  with  the  Harriet  Lane, 
Westfield,  Owasco,  Miami,  Clifton,  and  Jackson,  were  to 
enfilade  Fort  Jackson,  while  Farragut  attacked  it  in  front 
The  fire  of  the  mortar  boats  began,  and  the  flag-ship  and 
her  consorts  steamed  on.  When  within  range,  signal  rock- 
ets ran  up,  and  the  rebel  guns  opened  fire.  But  Farragut 
kept  on  till  close  abreast,  and  then  the  Federal  guns  belched 
their  thunders.  Each  ship  fired  a  broadside  as  it  moved 
up,  and  did  not  stop  to  attack  the  forts,  but  steamed  on 
toward  the  gunboats  which  were  beyond.  Five  fire  rafts 
were  borne  down  on  the  tide,  and  five  hundred  cannon 
shook  the  shore  with  their  echoes.  The  Ithaca  was  dis- 
abled, but  there  were  no  casualties  among  her  crew, 
though  in  dropping  out  of  the  fight  she  came  under  the 
close  fire  of  the  fort.  The  air  was  filled  with  shot  and 
bursting  shells ;  the  river  ahead,  with  fire  rafts  and  iron-clad 
gunboats;  but  the  fleet  moved  on  in  its  perilous  course. 
The  great  iron-clad  Louisiana,  moored  near  Fort  Jackson, 
sent  the  shot  of  her  heavy  rifled  guns  through  the  Union 
ships ;  and  the  rebel  ram  Manassas,  with  a  fire  raft  before 
her,  bore  down  on  the  flag-ship.  Avoiding  the  collision, 
Farragut  grounded ;  the  fire  raft  came  alongside ;  the  raging 
flames  rushed  up  through  the  rigging,  but  were  extinguished 
by  a  hose  pouring  on  it  a  stream  of  water. 

The  Varuna,  Captain  Boggs,  attacked  and  sunk  five  rebel 
gunboats,  when  a  ram  bore  down  on  her  and  crushed  her 
sides.  The  gallant  commander  ordered  his  sinking  vessel 
to  be  steamed  ashore,  and  poured  in  his  dreadful  broadsides 
at  close  range,  making  a  great  gash  in  the  enemy's  hull,  and 
his  vessel  began  to  settle,  while  the  Federal  guns  swept  her 
till  her  own  were  under  water,  The  Varuna,  with  her  flag 
flying,  and  carrying  her  dead  along  with  her,  went  down. 
The  Brooklyn  was  run  into  by  the  Rinco.  This  accident 
injured  her  much.  She  received  also  twelve  shots  in  her 
hull ;  but  with  twelve  other  vessels  she  passed  on.  In  an  hour 
and  a  half,  eleven  rebel  gunboats  were  sunk  in  the  bottom 
of  the  river.  The  ram  Manassas  bore  down  on  the  Rish 
mond,  when  the  Mississippi,  anticipating  her  design,  steamea 
toward  her,  and  h  T  orew  sought  safety  on  shore. 


BURREin>ER  OF   NEW   ORLEANS.  151 

The  fierce  strife  had  now  terminated  in  victory.  Termg 
of  capitulation  were  being  agreed  upon,  and  even  then  the 
discomfited  rebels  cut  adrift  the  powerful  steam  floating 
battery,  Louisiana,  which  had  cost  two  millions  of  dollars ; 
and,  having  set  her  on  fire,  sent  her  down  the  stream  amid 
the  mortar  fleet,  where,  had  she  exploded,  every  vessel  might 
have  been  destroyed.  But,  providentially,  she  drifted  on ; 
and  when  abreast  of  Fort  St.  Philip,  the  magazine  took  fire, 
and  she  blew  up  with  a  concussion  that  shook  every  ship 
as  with  the  power  of  an  earthquake.  New  Orleans  was 
now  in  the  possession  of  the  Federals;  but  though  com- 
pletely cut  off,  the  forts  refused  to  surrender.  Captain 
Boggs  was  sent  by  Farragut  to  inform  Porter,  who  re- 
mained with  the  mortar  boats  below  Fort  Jackson,  of  his 
success.  Next  morning  he  steamed  up  to  the  city  of  New 
Orleans,  whose  inhabitants,  but  a  little  while  before,  had 
deemed  thenmlves  so  secure.  In  the  words  of  Captain 
Bailey,  who  r»?.d  been  sent  with  despatches— "  The  squad- 
ron under  Flag-officer  Farragut  has  been  vouchsafed  a 
glorious  victory  and  triumph  in  the  capture  of  New  Orleans, 
Forts  Jackson,  St.  Philip,  Lexington,  and  Pike,  the  batteries 
above  and  below  New  Orleans,  as  well  as  the  total  destruc- 
tion of  the  enemy's  gunboats,  steam  rams,  floating  batteries 
(iron-clad),  fire  rafts,  and  obstructions,  booms  and  chains. 
The  enemy,  with  their  own  hands,  destroyed  from  eight  to 
ten  millions  of  cotton  and  shipping.  Our  loss  is  thirty-six 
killed  and  one  hundred  and  twenty-three  wounded.  The 
enemy  lost  from  one  thousand  to  fifteen  hundred,  besides 
several  prisoners.  The  way  is  clear,  and  the  rebel  defences 
destroyed  from  the  Gulf  to  Baton  Rouge,  and  probably  to 
Memphis.  Our  flag  waves  triumphantly  over  them  all." 

The  preparations  made  against  Fort  Jackson,  by  Comman 
der  Porter,  were  so  formidable  as  to  force  the  rebel  leaders, 
General  Duncan  and  Lieutenant-colonel  Higgins,  to  surren 
der,  and,  as  before  stated,  all  the  forts  fell  again  into  the 
hands  of  the  Federal  Government.  General  Butler  soon 
after  led  his  army  into  New  Orleans,  and  took  possession  of 
the  city.  After  the  surrender  of  the  forts,  the  gunboats  as- 
cended the  river  seven-  hundred  and  ninety  miles,  toward 
Memphis. 

It  is  pleasing  to  relate,  that  the  important  events  before 
narrated,  were  followed  by  an  order  of  thai  ksgiving  to  the 


162  ORDEK   OF  THANKSGIVING. 

gracious  Providence  winch  had  crowned  this  great  expedi- 
tion with  success.  It  was  issued  by  Flag-officer  Farragut 
April  26th,  1862. 

"GENERAL  ORDER. — Eleven  o'clock  this  morning  is  the 
hour  appointed  for  all  the  officers  and  crews  of  the  fleet  to 
return  thanks  to  the  Almighty  God  for  his  great  goodness 
and  mercy  in  permitting  us  to  pass  the  events  of  the  last  two 
days  with  so  little*  loss  of  life  and  blood. 

"At  that  hour,  the  church  pennant  will  be  hoisted  on  everr 
vessel  of  the  fleet,  and  their  crews  assembled,  will,  in  humil- 
iation and  prayer,  make  their  acknowledgments  therefore  to 
the  Great  Dispenser  of  all  human  events." 

In  a  private  letter,  Captain  Porter,  speaking  of  the  bom- 
bardment of  Fort  Jackson,  says,  "  Our  firing  was  a  matter  of 
calculation,  and  you  may  judge  how  accurate  it  was,  when 
I  tell  you  that  one  thousand  three  hundred  and  thirteen 
bombs  struck  in  the  centre  and  solid  parts  of  the  works ; 
two  thousand  three  hundred  and  thirty  in  the'  moat,  near 
the  foundations,  shaking  the  fort  to  its  base;  nearly  one 
thousand  three  hundred  and  fifty-seven  struck  about  the 
levees,  in  the  marsh  around,  and  in  the  paths  and  near  the 
water's  edge,  where  the  steamers  attempted  to  come.  I 
never  saw  such  a  perfect  mortar  practice.  We  could  clear 
the  batteries  whenever  the  soldiers  appeared  on  the  ram- 
parts." He  goes  on  to  mention,  "  the  most  splendid  speci- 
men of  a  floating  battery  the  world  has  sver  seen  (sea-going, 
and,  had  she  been  finished,  and  succeeded  in  getting  to  sea, 
the  whole  American  navy  would  have  been  destroyed). 
Her  burthen  was  six  thousand  tons,  being  two  hundred  and 
seventy  feet  lorg,  sixty  feet  beam,  had  four  engines,  three 
propellers,  four  inches  (and  in  some  places  more)  of  iron, 
and  would  steam  eleven  knots  an  hour.  She  cost  Mallery 
&  Co.  two  millions  of  dollars." 

While  such  important  events  in  the  West  and  Southwest 
were  in  progress,  and  our  armies  prosperous  in  the  capture 
of  Island  Number  Ten,  the  battle  of  Pittsburg  Landing,  and 
the  possession  of  New  Orleans,  others  of  no  less  importance 
were  taking  place  on  the  Atlantic  slope. 


CHAPTER    XVL 
APBIL,  1862. 

VBDHU  anccicss  ON  TUB  .TLANTIC  COAST — MCCLELLAN  AT  FORT  MONROK 

PLAN    OK    THK    WAR — PLAN    OF    CAMPAIGN     AGAINST     RICHMOND AD- 

TANCK    CK    YORKTOWN— FREMONT    IX    THK  MOUNTAIN    DEPARTMENT AD- 

TANOB     ON     FRKDERICKSBURO — CAPTURE!     OF     FORT    PULASKI FIGHT  AT 

APACKS  PASS BOMBARDMENT    OF  FORT  MACON ATTACK    ON  LEE?3    MILL 

— FALL    OF  FOKT  MACON GENERAL    MITCHELL    IN    ALABAMA THE  QUE8- 

TION  OF  SLAVERY  IN    CONGRESS IRON-CLADS     TO    BE    BUILT COMMITTEE 

REPORT  ON  TKKATMENT  OF  OUR  DEAD  AT  BULL  RUN OUR  PROSPECTS  AT 

THK  KND  OF  THE  FIRST  YEAR    OF  THE  WAR. 

WHILE  victory  was  crowning  the  Federal  arms  in  the 
West,  and  the  events  taking  place  which  have  already  been 
described,  every  thing  was  prospering  on  the  Atlantic  bor- 
der, and  giving  promise  of  a  successful  issue.  Commander 
Dupont  was  successful  on  the  Florida  coast,  and  news  came 
of  the  probable  capture  of  Forts  Macon  and  Pulaski,  off  the 
coast  of  North  Carolina,  at  an  early  day,  by  Sherman  and 
Burnside.  Nothing  sullied  the  bright  prospect  in  the  East, 
but  the  fact  that  attention  was  directed  to  isolated  points, 
which  would  ultimately  fall  on  the  defeat  of  the  rebel  forces. 
The  attempts  against  them  at  this  time,  however,  divided  the 
iroops,  who  required  concentration.  Previous  to  this  time, 
it  was  known  that  the  Government  had  chartered  a  grea* 
number  of  vessels,  and  that  a  large  force  was  to  be  trans 
ported  to  the  Chesapeake.  Soon,  news  came  that  a  great 
army  of  a  hundred  thousand  men  were  on  board  the  trans- 
ports anchored  ofl'  Fortress  Monroe. 

The  promise  made  to  his  men  by  McClellan,  had  pre- 
pared the  public  for  some  grand  movement,  and  now,  when  h 
was  announced  that  the  destination  was  Yorktown,  between 
the  York  and  James  rivers,  Virginia,  a  position  whose  fortifi- 
cations extended  across  the  whole  peninsula,  there  waa 
great  surprise  if  not  disappointment. 

Yorktown  was  forti£ed  with  great  care.  Standing  on  the 
way  to  Richmond,  and  guarded  with  batteries  of  the  great- 
est strength,  it  was,  in  the  rebel  opinion,  impregnable.  Be- 
fore its  defences  McClellan  sat  down,  arranged  his  forces, 

(153) 


154  FLAX   OF   CAMPAIGN   AGAINST   RICHMOND. 

and  prepared  for  a  regular  siege.  This  step  of  McClellari'g 
met  with  much  criticism.  lie  would  now  have  to  encoun- 
ter a  powerful  army  in  their  strong  intrenchments.  Many 
prophets  arose  who  uttered  predictions  of  the  future,  for- 
getting, for  the  present,  that  a  well  laid  plan  was  the  prin- 
"iplc  on  which  a  campaign  must  be  conducted,  and  that  the 
groat  masters  of  strategy  always  referred  their  movements  to 
A  definite  end.  Wellington  for  a  long  time  fortified  Torres 
Vedras,  and  no  insults  of  Massena  could  draw  him  into  action. 
Napoleon  did  not  hurl  his  strong  legions  on  the  enemy  where- 
ever  found.  lie  matured  his  plans,  and  never  moved  a  col- 
umn till  he  had  studied  out  all  its  relations  to  the  topography 
of  the  country,  and  the  resources  of  the  enemy.  We  are  not 
QOW  inquiring  whether  an  advance  through  the  peninsula 
was  the  best  plan.  It  was  not  that  adopted  subsequently.  It 
was  that  which  McClellan  now  attempted  to  carry  out. 

The  public  press  gave  accounts,  at  the  same  time,  of  the 
capture  of  Island  Number  Ten;  the  battle  of  Pittsburg 
Landing;  how  Milroy,  under  Fremont  in  the  Mountain 
Department,  was  driving  the  enemy;  while  McDowell  was 
reporting  the  probable  evacuation  of  Fredericksburg ;  and 
the  Federal  arms  were  triumphing  on  the  Atlantic  coast. 
This  denoted  the  immense  area  of  Federal  operations.  Gene- 
rals Scott  and  McClellan  designed  to  hurl  two  great  armies 
on  the  enemy  as  early  in  1862  as  possible,  with  gunboats 
acting  in  concert,  and  columns  on  the  flanks  at  supporting 
distance.  Each  army  was  to  have  three  hundred  thousand 
men,  with  five  hundred  pieces  of  artillery.  Such  a  combi- 
nation was  thought  to  be  sufficient  to  overthrow  any  rebel 
force  brought  against  it.  The  Army  of  the  West  moved 
down  through  Kentucky  and  Tennessee,  before  the  Eastern 
army  was  prepared. 

Many  thought  that  a  great  army  need  only  advance  oo 
the  rebel  capital  and  at  once  grasp  the  victory.  Military 
men  knew  that  an  immense  body  of  the  enemy  was  concen- 
trated in  a  country  intersected  by  rivers,  whose  bridges 
could  be  destroyed,  and  with  railroads  running  to  Rich- 
mond. This  latter  place  was  sure  for  a  retreat,  and  aa 
being  an  interior  line,  had  always  great  facilities  for  trans- 
porting and  concentrating  troops. 

The  plan  for  the  peninsular  campaign,  approved  by  their 
corps  commanders,  and  adopted  by  McClellan,  was  a  diatri 


ADVANCE    ON    V/OBKTOWN.  156 

buiion  iato  three  grand  divisions.  The  first,  consisting  of 
three  corps,  under  General  McClellan,  was  to  land  at  Fortress 
Monroe.  General  Banks  was  to  move  to  the  Rappahan- 
nock,  down  to  Fredericksburg,  and  thence  south  to  Hanover 
Junction,  on  the  north  of  Richmond.  McDowell  was  to  land 
his  corps  on  Severn  river,  in  Hopjack  bay;  from  thence  he 
was  to  march  to  a  position  almost  opposite  West  Point,  crosa 
on  a  pontoon  bridge,  and  cut  off'  the  rebel  army  from  the  pen- 
insula. When  Mo  Do  well  was  ready  for  embarkation,  the  ad- 
vance of  McClelhm  was  to  be  made  from  Fortress  Monroe. 

The  best  military  men  considered  this  plan  almost  cer- 
tain of  success.  Had  it  been  carried  out,  the  march  of 
McDowell  would  sither  have  enclosed  the  rebel  army  between 
him  and  McClellan,  or  compelled  it  to  fall  back  on  Rich- 
mond. This  would  have  rendered  any  delay  at  Yorktown 
unnecessary,  and  no  battle  would  have  occurred  till  the 
army  stood  before  Richmond. 

General  McClellan  arrived  at  Fortress  Monroe,  General 
Nathaniel  P.  Banks  had  reached  Warrenton,  with  nearly  all 
his  troops.  The  troops  of  McDowell's  division  had  partly 
embarked,  when  the  Government  ordered  them  to  remain 
where  they  were.  Thus  McClellan  was  deprived  of  the  as- 
sistance of  eighty  thousand  men,  upon  whose  co-operation  he 
had  calculated.  He  then  requested,  and  obtained  the  division 
of  General  Franklin,  his  army  being  thereby  increased  to 
one  hundred  and  fifteen  thousand  men.  The  plan  of  the 
campaign  thus  broken  up,  threatened  to  prove  a  failure,  when 
the  Secretary  of  War  promised  that  McDowell,  upon  the 
advance  of  the  main  body  on  the  rebel  capital,  should 
close  up  the  right  wing,  by  way  of  Hanover  Court  House. 

The  Federal  army  before  Yorktown,  had  been  engaged  in 
the  erection  of  formidable  works,  which,  by  their  superior 
construction  and  greater  strength,  would  command  the  rebel 
defences.  This  task,  of  immense  labor  and  great  skill,  had 
already  produced  important  results.  On  the  16th  of  April, 
an  engagement  took  place  >3tween  the  rival  armies.  At  Lee's 
Mill,  about  eight  miles  sonth  of  Yorktown,  the  rebels  had 
erected  a  fort  to  protect  the  road  leading  to  the  latter  place, 
and  placed  some  guns  in  position.  The  mill  was  on  War- 
wick river.  There  was  a  bog,  some  hundreds  of  feet  wide, 
above  the  fort,  and  a  large  dam  near  the  bog.  Captain 
Mott,  at  ni-ie  o'clock  on  the  16th,  placed  his  battery  in  posi- 


156  EVACUATION   OF  YORKTOWU. 

tion,  and  commenced  to  bombard  the  fort.  The  rcbeli 
replying,  a  spirited  action  took  place,  which  latted  an  hour. 
The  firing  then  ceased,  and  the  fort  was  evacuated.  A  re- 
connoissance,  immediately  afterward,  made  by  sharpshooters, 
to  ascertain  the  position  of  the  garrison,  found  it  had 
retired.  Quietness  reigned  till  four  o'clock.  At  that  hour 
some  rebel  troops  were  found  behind  a  breastwork,  defended 
by  several  guns.  Mott's  battery  again  opened  fire,  and  a 
contest  arose,  which  lasted  half  an  hour.  The  Third,  Fourth, 
Fifth,  and  Sixth  Vermont  regiments  were  soon  ordered  to 
advance  and  attack  the  rebels,  who  were  discovered  in  large 
force  in  the  woods,  near  the  fort.  These  brave  regiments  ad- 
vanced boldly  to  the  charge  through  the  bog,  up  to  their 
waists  in  mud  and  water.  They  came  upon  a  line  of  rifle 
pits,  from  which  they  drove  the  rebels,  and  soon  met  another 
line  similar,  which  they  assaulted  in  the  same  way,  aided  by 
Mott's  artillery.  At  this  point,  the  foe  being  reinforced, 
the  Vermont  troops  were  obliged  to  fall  back.  The  enemy 
had  opened  the  mill-dam,  and  flooded  the  bog  with  several 
feet  of  water.  A  number  of  the  wounded,  in  passing  through 
it,  were  drowned.  On  the  retreat,  the  pursuing  rebels  shot 
several,  who  fell  and  died  in  the  swamp.  In  vain  the  effort 
of  the  Sixth  Vermont  to  cover  the  retreat.  They  were 
overpowered  by  a  superior  force.  All,  except  the  wounded 
and  dying,  reached  a  place  of  safety.  The  Federal  loss  was 
forty-four  killed,  and  one  hundred  wounded  and  missing. 
The  rebels  acknowledged  a  loss  of  over  a  hundred  killed. 
Preparations  for  a  general  assault  on  Yorktown  were  now 
advanced,  when,  to  the  astonishment  of  the  Federal  troops 
the  plaoe  was  evacuated  by  the  rebel  army  before  daylight 
of  the  4th  of  May.  The  enemy  now  began  to  retreat  on 
Richmond.  The  night  before  the  retreat,  the  firing, 
which  had  continued  till  midnight,  had  ceased,  and  the 
Federal  pickets  were  the  first  to  discover  the  desertion  of 
the  intrenchments.  General  McClellan  ordered  an  imme- 
diate pursuit,  and  the  army  was  furnished  with  two  days' 
rations.  All  was  prepared  at  eight  o'clock,  and  the  retreat- 
ing enemy  was  pursued  toward  Williamsburg.  GeneraJ 
Stoneman  led  the  advance,  with  the  First  and  Sixth  cavalry 
ard  four  batteries  of  artillery. 

While  events  were  approaching  a  crisis  at  Yorktown, 
General  Fremont  was  doing  good  service  in  the  Mouutaia 


CAPTUBK  OF  FORT  PULASKI.  157 

Department.  He  bad  a  sharp  encounter  with  the  enemy  at 
Monterey ;  and  at  this  place  the  latter  was  defeated  by  a 
tolumn  under  General  Milroy. 

By  a  sudden  march,  on  the  18th  of  April,  General  Augur, 
of  McDowell's  division,  captured  Falmouth,  opposite  to  and 
sommanding  Fredericksburg,  on  the  other  side  of  the  Po- 
tomac ;  and  this  last  place  also  surrendered. 

On  the  10th  of  April,  Fort  Pulaski  was  besieged  by  the 
Federal  forces.  It  was  the  outpost  of  the  defences  of  Savan- 
nah, Georgia,  and  consisted  of  a  strong  casemated  work 
having  seventy-five  heavy  guns,  and  a  garrison  of  five  hun 
dred  men. 

General  Sherman  saw  that,  though  being  cut  off  from 
Savannah,  its  fall  was  merely  a  question  of  time,  yet  the 
process  of  its  capture  would  be  slow.  He  determined,  there- 
fore, to  bombard  it  from  Tybee  island.  Having,  with  im- 
mense labor,  transported  the  guns  through  the  deep  mire 
and  sand,  by  a  road  made  of  poles  joined  together,  he 
placed  the  first  battery  two  miles  from  the  fort.  The  bat- 
teries were  mounted  under  the  direction  of  General  Gilmore 
and  other  able  engineers,  and  when  completed,  numbered 
eleven,  with  thirty-six  guns — Parrott  rifled  pieces,  colum- 
biads,  and  mortars.  At  this  juncture,  Sherman  was  super- 
seded by  General  Hunter.  General  Gilmore,  on  the  9th, 
demanded  a  surrender,  which  being  refused  by  Colonel 
Olmstead,  a  fierce  cannonading  began  next  day,  and  night 
only  put  an  end  to  the  combat.  It  was  resumed  next  morn- 
ing (llth),  and  continued  till  noon;  shot  and  shell  being 
poured  into  the  fort  from  twelve  different  points,  and  the 
magazine,  containing  a  hundred  tons  of  powder,  threatened 
to  explode.  An  unconditional  surrender  was  made  by  Col 
Dnel  Charles  Olmstead,  whereby  three  hundred  and  eighty  • 
five  prisoners,  forty-seven  guns,  seven  thousand  shot  and 
shell,  and  forty  thousand  pounds  of  powder  fell  'nto 
the  hands  of  the  Federals.  The  Union  loss  was  but  one 
killed  and  one  wounded.  Thus  fell  Fort  Pulaski,  preparing 
the  way  for  the  reduction  of  Savannah. 

Meantime,  news  arrived  that,  in  the  Department  of  New 
Mexico,  commanded  by  Colonel  Canby,  Colonel  Hough, 
with  the  troops  under  his  command,  had  defeated  the  rebels 
at  Apaohe  Pass;  killed  several  h  indred,  and  taken  ninety 
three  prisoners,  and  destroyed  fifty-four  vagons  laden 
14 


158         BOMBARDMENT  OF  FORT  MACON. 

with  provisions  and  ammunition.  Four  desperate  attacks 
by  the  Texans,  upon  the  Federal  batteries,  were  as  often  re- 
pulsed with  great  slaughter.  The  enemy,  under  Colonel 
Siblcy  (the  inventor  of  the  Sibley  Tent),  formerly  a 
United  States  officer,  were  greatly  cut  up.  The  Federal 
loss  was  one  hundred  and  fifty. 

On  the  26th,  two  days  before  the  capture  of  New  Orleans 
Fort  Macon,  on  the  North  Carolina  coast,  near  the  towns  oi 
Beaufort  and  Newbern,  was  bombarded  by  the  Federal 
forces.  General  Burnside  had  previously  ordered  Genera! 
Parke,  with  his  division,  to  seize  Morehead  City  and  the 
railroad  between  that  place  and  Newbern.  This  command 
was  executed ;  and  the  Federals  occupied  also  Bogue  island, 
opposite  Carolina  City.  This  position  being  favorable  for 
operations  against  Fort  Macon,  furnished  the  site  for  a  camp. 
The  enemy  continued  to  annoy  the  Federal  forces  with 
their  artillery,  but  the  batteries  of  the  latter  were  mounted, 
and  all  was  in  readiness,  when,  on  the  24th  of  April,  Gen- 
eral Burnside  arrived  from  Newbern.  He  had  brought 
with  him  the  Grenade  and  Shrapnel,  the  latter  having  been 
changed  into  a  floating  battery,  with  thirty-pound  Parrott 
guns.  On  the  25th,  the  demand  for  a  surrender  was 
refused.  The  Federal  batteries,  in  three  lines,  extended 
along  Bogue's  beach,  within  a  mile  of  the  fort.  The  first 
was  under  Captain  Morris,  United  States  artillery,  and 
mounted  three  thirty  pound  Parrott  guns.  At  the  distance 
of  two  hundred  yards,  Lieutenant  Flagler,  chief  of  ordnance 
on  Burnside's  staff,  commanded  the  second  line  of  four  ten- 
inch  mortar  batteries.  Lieutenant  Prouty  commanded  the 
third  line,  containing  four  eight-inch  mortar  guns,  on  the 
right  of  the  first  named  battery.  The  final  demand  for  sur- 
render, made  on  the  25th,  being  refused  by  the  enemy,  the 
Federal  batteries  opened  fire  at  six  o'clock  next  morning, 
and  continued  all  day  to  shell  the  fort,  but  with  little  effect, 
the  proper  range  not  being  attained.  Lieutenants  Andrews 
and  Wait,  of  the  signal  jorps,  at  Beaufort,  rectified  the 
error,  and  four  shells  at  once  could  be  seen  exploding  wil  fa- 
in the  works  or  on  the  parapet.  Four  gunboats  lent  their 
assistance.  The  rebels  replied  with  skill  and  energy.  The 
Daylight  was  struck  with  a  sixty-four  pound  shot  in  the 
larboard  quarter.  The  shot  passed  through  the  engine 
»nd  other  rooms,  and  lodged  in  her  side.  The  Gunsbok 


OTWEBAL   MITCHELL  IN   ALABAMA.  159 

was  shot  in  the  rigging.  The  reverberations  of  the  guns 
shook  the  buildings  in  Beaufort  and  Morehead  City.  At 
<1'20  P.  M.,  a  flag  of  truce  waved  on  the  battlements,  and  the 
firing  ceased.  General  Parke  entered  into  an  armistice  the 
next  day  with  Colonel  White,  the  commandant  of  the  fort. 
Its  surrender  was  then  formally  made  to  General  Burnside. 
Fifteen  of  the  rebel  guns  had  been  disabled.  The  Federal 
batteries  had  discharged  twelve  hundred  shot  and  shell. 
The  loss  of  the  rebels  was  seven  killed  and  eighteen 
wounded.  The  Federal  loss,  one  man.  The  rebel  officers 
and  men  were  paroled,  and  allowed  to  carry  off  their  effects, 
except  arms ;  and  the  fort  was  garrisoned  by  Federal  troops, 
who  once  more  flung  the  glorious  national  ensign  to  the 
breeze. 

On  the  llth,  General  0.  M.  Mitchell,  distinguished  as  a 
soldier  as  well  as  savant,  left  Louisville,  Kentucky  with  a  few 
thousand  men,  and  rapidly  advancing  south,  reached  and 
occupied  Hunts ville,  capturing  seventeen  locomotives,  one 
hundred  and  fifty  cars,  and  one  hundred  and  seventy  pris- 
oners. Two  expeditions  were  sent  out  in  the  railroad  cars 
The  first,  under  Colonel  Sill,  with  the  Thirty-third  Ohio 
went  eastward  to  Stevenson,  where  the  junction  of  the  Chat 
tanooga,  the  Memphis,  and  the  Charleston  railroads  is  formed 
The  other,  under  Colonel  Tarchin,  with  the  Nineteenth 
Illinois,  went  westward,  and  at  Decatur  saved  the  railroad 
bridge,  fifteen  hundred  feet  in  length,  from  imminent  de- 
struction. The  result  of  this  expedition  was  the  possession 
of  one  hundred  miles  of  the  Memphis  and  Charleston  rail- 
road, and  the  interruption  of  the  communication  of  the 
enemy  between  Corin-th  and  Eichrnond,  It  also  enabled 
General  Mitchell  to  threaten  Corinth  both  in  front  and  rear, 
and  to  march  upon  it  at  any  moment,  thereby  materially 
aiding  both  Grant  and  Buell. 

These  were  the  important  events  which  occurred  in  the 
field  during  the  month  of  April,  at  the  end  of  which  one 
year  had  elapsed  since  the  attack  on  Fort  Sumter. 

In  Congress,  the  principal  points  of  discussion  were  the 
tax  and  the  confiscation  bills.  In  perfecting  the  latter  the 
great  difficulty  presented  was,  what  should  be  done  with  the 
slaves  of  rebels,  and  with  slavery  itself.  The  advocates  of 
this  bill  insisted  that  the  only  course  to  suppress  rebelliom 
was  by  u  iiversal  emancipation.  This  Congress  passed  the 


160 

important  act  prohibiting  slavery  in  all  present  and  ftituie 
Territories  of  the  United  States. 

On  the  16th  of  April,  the  act  for  the  emancipation  of 
slaves  in  the  District  of  Columbia,  being  signed  bj  the 
President,  became  a  law. 

General  Hunter,  in  this  state  of  affairs,  proclaimed  all 
slaves  in  his  department  free.  The-condition  of  things  wai 
not  such  as  to  warrant  this  latter  step,  and  a  counter  pro- 
clamation bj  the  President  declared  that  General  Hunter 
h»d  exceeded  his  power,  and  that  his  action  was  conse- 
quently null  and  void.  The  President  stated  in  substance 
that  the  time  and  manner  of  an  edict  of  general  emancipa- 
tion were  matters  which  he  reserved  to  himself  alone,  and 
did  not  leave  to  the  generals  in  the  field. 

It  was  attempted  to  employ  thousands  of  slaves  who  had 
been  left  by  the  rebels  at  Port  Royal,  South  Carolina. 
Efforts  also  were  made  by  many  to  obtain  permission  from 
the  Government  to  raise  colored  regiments  to  fight  against 
the  South,  or  garrison  the  fortresses. 

Some  were  not  pleased  with  the  recognition  of  Hayti  as 
an  independent  State.  It  was  thought  that  the  blacks  were 
placed  on  a  level  with  the  whites  by  sending  ministers  to 
its  courts.  The  nations  of  Europe  had  done  this  long  since 
and  the  prejudice  of  mere  color  was  already  subsiding. 

Congress  authorized  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  to  con- 
struct, under  contract,  a  powerful  fleet  of  iron-clad  vessels, 
rams,  and  gunboats. 

The  committee  appointed  by  Congress  to  ascertain  the 
truth  of  the  reports  concerning  the  brutal  treatment  of  tin: 
Federal  dead,  who  had  fallen  at  Manassas,  confirmed  their 
truth.  The  interments  had  been  made  in  the  most  barbar- 
ous manner.  Skulls  and  bones  also  had  been  made  into 
cups  and  ornaments,  as  mementoes  of  the  battle. 

The  national  debt,  at  the  end  of  this  first  year  of  the  war 
amounted  to  the  sum  of  $491,444,384.  The  war  was  carried 
on  upon  an  extensive  scale,  and  foreign  nations,  which  had 
attributed  the  immobility  of  a  large  portion  of  our  armies  to 
weakness,  now  looked  upon  the  vast  movements  inaugurated 
w;th  astonishment.  England  saw  that  the  immense  outlay 
involved  in  this  great  struggle  was  furnished  by  the  coun- 
try's own  resources,  and  derision  gave  place  to  respect  and 
wonderment. 


ENCOURAGING    PROSPECTS.  161 

The  warlike  spirit  was  now  fairly  roused ;  the  mighty 
breast  of  the  nation  heaved  with  powerful  and  patriotic 
emotions,  while  hope  buoyed  up  the  spirits  of  the  brave,  arid 
it  was  ardently  hoped  and  believed  that  the  war  would  be 
of  short  continuance.  In  twenty-eight  battles,  of  more  or 
less  importance,  the  Union  army  had  been  victorious  in 
twenty.  Public  expectation  already  saw  the  rebellion 
crushed,  and  rebels  laying  down  their  arms  in  submission, 
ended  the  first  year  of  the  war. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

MAT   AND  JUNE,    1862. 

VATTLI    OF    WILLIAMSBURO COLONEL     DWIOHT'g     BRAVKRT — BERRY    AH  I 

KKARNKY      RUSH     TO     THE     RESCUE GALLANT     BEHAVIOR     OF     HOOKKR  fi 

BRIGADE — HANCOCK'S  SPLENDID  BAYONET  CHARGE — GREAT  VALOR  or 

THK     ELEVENTH      MASSACHUSETTS FRANKLIN     ATTACKS    THE    ENEMY    AT 

WEST    POINT FALL     OF     NORFOLK DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    MKRRIMAC 

FORT  DARLING  BOMBARDED — MCCLELLAN  ADVANCES  ON  RICHMOND — 
BATTLE  OF  HANOVER  COURT  HOUSE — FLOOD  IN  THE  CHICKAHOMINY — 
BATTLE  OF  FAIR  OAKS — ROUT  OF  CASEY'S  DIVISION — BRAVERY  OF  THR 
TROOPS  UNDER  HEINTZELMAN — TUB  SECOND  KXCELSIOR. 

SEVERAL  movements  of  the  great  Army  of  the  Potomac 
were,  for  the  sake  of  unity,  anticipated  in  the  last  chapter. 
Yorktown  was  occupied  on  the  4th  of  May,  1862,  and  the 
pursuit  of  the  retreating  Confederates  resulted  in  the  battle 
of  Williamsburg,  on  the  5th. 

General  Hooker,  of  Heintxelman's,  and  General  Smith, 
of  Keyes'  division,  with  their  brigades,  had  come  up  the 
preceding  evening,  and  next  morning  moved  on  the  enemy, 
who  were  commanded  by  General  Joseph  E.  Johnston. 
Hooker  advanced  through  the  woods  on  his  right,  and  Smith 
on  his  left.  A  heavy  rain  drenched  the  soldiers  to  the  skin. 
They  had  bivouacked  the  night  before  in  the  rain,  and  now 
pressed  on  through  it.  The  enemy's  batteries,  protected  by 
trees  in  front,  opened  fire  on  Hooker'*?  brigade  as  it  ap- 
proached. The  tree  tops  presented  a  great  obstruction,  as 
they  lay  in  the  way  of  the  troops,  and  any  attempt  to 
remove  them,  being  under  fire,  would  be  deadly.  The  men 
endeavored  to  make  their  way  over  the  fallen  timber,  and 
many  fell  from  the  musketry  poured  upon  them,  from  an 
enemy  partly  concealed.  One  of  the  Federal  guns  was  now 
advanced,  but  sunk  in  the  mud,  and  the  enemy  rushing  on 
in  great  force,  the  horses  were  shot  to  prevent  capture. 
Hooker  sent  back  for  reinforcements,  and  boldly  maintained 
his  ground  by  charging  the  enemy,  till  the  expected  aid 
should  arrive.  Hour  after  hour  passed,  and  yet  it  came 
not,  and  the  wearied  trooj  s,  with  brave  efforts,  would  now 
(162) 


BATTLE    OP    WILLIAMSBURG.  163 

advance  on  overwhelming  numbers,  and  again  be  compelled 
to  fall  back. 

Heintzelman,  exposed  to  balls  which  rained  around  him, 
as  he  coolly  sat  on  horseback,  became  exceedingly  anxious, 
seeing  his  best  troops  melting  away  like  frost,  and  unless 
supported,  would  have  to  fall  back.  The  enemy  already 
had  captured  four  guns ;  the  gunners  lay  dead  where  they 
had  fallen.  The  Excelsior  brigade  occupied  the  place  of 
the  New  Jersey  brigade,  whose  ammunition  was  spent  or 
wettei  Fiercer  now  was  the  strife,  and  the  woods  re- 
sounded with  the  din  of  battle.  Colonel  Dwight,  with  the 
First  Excelsior,  though  bleeding  from  his  wounds,  and  told 
that  the  rebels  were  outflanking  him,  determined  to  die 
rather  than  yield,  and  his  brave  men,  losing  a  third  of  their 
number,  stood  firm  as  a  rock  until  reinforced.  Kearney's 
division  now  hurried  up,  and  the  soldiers,  casting  away 
their  haversacks,  rapidly  advanced  in  the  direction  of  the 
firing.  The  appearance  of  Berry,  at  the  head  of  his  brave 
brigade,  was  a  joyful  sight  to  Heintzelman,  and  when  the 
two  Michigan  regiments  and  the  Thirty-seventh  New  York 
drew  near,  he  waved  his  cap  and  shouted,  while  an  answer- 
ing cheer  was  sent  up  by  the  men  as  they  hurried  on 
through  the  rain. 

For  nearly  eight  hours,  Hooker's  brigade  had  borne  the 
brunt  of  the  battle  alone.  The  help  which  now  came,  at 
three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  was  very  opportune.  Berry 
at  once  attacked  the  enemy,  and  the  Fifth  Michigan  being 
galled  by  their  fire,  charged  with  the  bayonet,  and  left 
one  hundred  and  forty-three  rebel  dead  in  their  destructive 
path.  Kearney  now  advanced. 

The  wounded  of  Hooker's  brigade  uttered  groans  and 
distressing  cries  as  the  ambulances  bore  them  to  the  rear. 
This  was  not  calculated  to  animate  the  exhausted  troops  of 
Kearney,  marching  in  the  rain.  By  order  of  Heintzelman, 
the  bands  struck  up  the  soul-inspiring  tunes  which  have 
never  failed  to  rouse  the  brave.  On  hearing  the  notes,  the 
wounded  forgot  their  sufferings,  and  their  loud  cheers  re- 
echoed with  those  of  the  brave  men  who  now  advanced 
with  renewed  courage  to  where  the  firing  was  hottest. 
Berry  and  Birney,  with  impetuous  charges,  rolled  the  tide 
of  battle  back  upon  the  enemy.  Hooker's  b:  igade,  which 
after  the  exhaustion  of  its  ammunition,  had  relied  on  th« 


161  BATTLE   OF   WEST  POINT. 

bayonet,  was  now  sent  to  the  rear.  The  Eleventh  Massa 
chusetts,  of  Grover's  brigade,  commanded  by  Colonel  Blais 
dell,  was  greatly  distinguished  on  this  bloody  field  by  break 
ing  the  enemy's  line  and  scattering  his  best  regiments. 

Peck,  in  the  meantime,  advancing  up  the  road  near  York 
river,  encountered  the  enemy's  centre.  He  stood  in  the 
op^n  space  near  Fort  Magruder,  and  though  assailed  by  its 
ahot  and  shell,  and  the  deadly  fire  from  the  rifle  pits,  hold 
his  ground  with  tenacious  firmness  all  day,  being  sheltered 
by  pine  woods.  While  it  was  thus  with  the  left  and  centre, 
General  Hancock  moved  on  the  extreme  right,  and  having 
occupied  some  earthworks,  was  assailed  in  the  afternoon  by 
a  large  force  of  the  enemy.  To  prevent  them  from  cut- 
ting oft'  his  retreat,  he  began  slowly  to  retire  in  line  of 
battle,  followed  by  the  enemy,  cheering  and  firing  as  they 
advanced.  The  artillery  being  secured  in  a  safe  position, 
he  halted  his  twenty-five  hundred  dauntless  men,  and 
sweeping  the  enemy's  ranks  with  a  terrible  volley  as  they 
ascended  the  slope,  followed  up  his  success  with  a  resist- 
less bayonet  charge,  which  broke  the  lines  of  the  foe,  and 
sent  him  flying  over  the  field.  The  victorious  troops  en- 
tered Williamsburg  with  flying  banners,  shouts,  and  beating 
drums. 

The  Federal  loss,  in  killed,  wounded,  and  missing,  was 
two  thousand.  This  loss  fell  mostly  on  the  troops  of 
Hooker.  The  small  loss  of  only  twenty  men  by  Hancock 
called  forth  the  praises  of  McClellan  to  the  two  charging 
regiments. 

Meanwhile,  Franklin  had  ascended  the  York  river  in 
transports,  and  was  drawing  near  West  Point  to  cut  off'  the 
rebel  retreat.  He  landed  on  the  afternoon  of  the  6th,  and 
was  attacked  by  the  rebels.  In  a  battle  that  ensued,  the 
Federal  loss  was  two  hundred  and  fifty  killed  and  wounded, 
and  about  five  hundred  prisoners.  The  rebels  lost  one 
thousand  killed  and  wounded. 

On  the  8th  of  May,  the  Galena  and  two  other  gunboat! 
ran  the  batteries  on  the  James  river,  and  proceeded  toward 
Richmond.  General  Wool,  on  the  10th,  landed  at  Wil- 
loughby  Point  with  five  thousand  men,  and  moved  on  Nor- 
folk. After  the  fall  of  Yorktown,  it  had  been  evacuated  by 
the  rebel  General  Huger.  The  Union  forces  were  met  by  a 
delegation  from  the  city  and  this  immense  dSpot,  which 


FORT    DARLING    BOMBARDED.  165 

furnished  the  foe  with  heavy  cannon,  once  more  fell  into 
our  hands,  without  loss.  The  fate  of  Yorktown  had  sealed 
that  of  Norfolk  and  of  the  Merrimac,  which  was  blown  up 
by  her  crew  on  the  night  succeeding  the  day  of  General 
Wool's  occupation.  Her  end  was  a  triumph  to  the  fleet,  as 
her  presence  in  the  Chesapeake  had  been  considered  an  in- 
sult. She  cculd  now  do  no  more  mischief,  and  left  the 
Galena,  Naugatuck,  and  other  vessels,  free  to  go  up  the 
James  river,  attack  the  batteries  on  its  banks,  and  feel  their 
w&y  up  to  the  rebel  capital. 

The  navy  yard  had  been  destroyed,  and  as  much  injury 
as  time  allowed  done  to  the  granite  dry  dock,  before  tha 
rebels  evacuated  Norfolk.  Sewall's  Point,  and  all  the  bat- 
teries in  the  vicinity,  with  a  great  quantity  of  heavy  ord- 
nance, came  into  the  Federal  possession.  General  Viele 
commanded  as  military  governor,  to  the  common  satisfac- 
tion, though  little  Union  sentiment  existed  in  the  city. 

On  her  way  up  the  James  river,  the  Galena  passed  or 
silenced  the  batteries  till  she  came  almost  opposite  Williams- 
burg.  The  Monitor,  Aristook,  Naugatuck,  and  Port  Eoya^ 
accompanied  her,  and  in  a  sharp  bend,  seven  miles  from  the 
city,  they  came  upon  Fort  Darling,  on  a  bluff  one  hundred 
and  fifty  feet  high,  strongly  fortified  with  heavy  guns,  and 
commanding  the  river. 

On  the  morning  of  the  15th,  the  Galena  ran  within  six 
hundred  yards  of  the  battery,  and,  swinging  across  the 
channel,  began  to  shell  the  fort.  The  Monitor,  after  finding 
a  proper  elevation  for  her  guns,  hurled  her  heavy  shot  on 
the  works.  The  other  vessels  took  up  their  positions,  and 
a  heavy  cannonading  began.  The  heavy  shot  of  the  fort,  in 
the  two  hours  during  which  the  fight  had  lasted,  pierced 
the  Galena  in  the  deck  and  sides.  She  continued  to  main- 
tain the  unequal  contest  till  twenty-four  of  her  crew  were 
killed  or  wounded,  her  ammunition  expended,  and  eighteen 
shots  in  her  side.  She  was  at  last  compelled  to  drop  out  of 
the  fight.  The  Monitor  was  hit  three  times,  but,  except  the 
bending  of  some  plates  in  her  armor,  was  unscathed.  The 
bursting  of  her  one  hundred  pound  Parrott  gun  disabled  the 
Naugatuck.  The  other  vessels,  however,  received  little 
damage.  This  reverse  to  the  Federal  gunboats  greatly  en- 
couraged the  rebels. 

Meanwhile,   McClellan   wad   moving  hid  army  steadily 


166  MOCLELLAN   ADVANCES   ON   RICHMOND. 

upon  Eicbraond,  and  on  the  20th  of  May  drew  up  withiii 
ten  miles  of  that  city,  on  the  banks  of  the  Chickahominy. 
Bridges  had  to  be  built  in  the  face  of  the  enemy,  and  the 
advance  made  with  caution.  The  cavalry,  under  General 
Stoneman,  held  the  advance,  and  had  now  reached  New 
bridge,  eight  miles  from  the  rebel  capital,  driving  th* 
enemy's  pickets  before  them. 

Every  day  witnessed  bold  reconnoissances  and  skirmish- 
ing with  the  pickets.  The  enemy,  it  was  apparent,  would 
fight  desperately  for  their  capital,  and  a  further  advance 
would  be  keenly  contested,  and  with  great  loss  on  both 
sides. 

McClellan  had,  by  a  bold  dash  on  Mechanicsville,  sev- 
ered the  railroad  between  Fredericksburg  and  Richmond, 
thereby  preventing  the  rebels  from  massing  on  General 
McDowell.  The  Federal  army  drew  its  lines  closer  and 
closer  to  Richmond,  and  the  troops  were  crossing  the 
Chickahominy  previous  to  a  final  advance.  The  month 
was  passing  away  without  any  thing  decisive.  A  telegram 
announced,  that  on  the  27th,  after  a  sharp  contest,  here- 
after described,  the  Federals  had  captured  Hanover  Court 
House,  twenty  miles  north  of  Richmond,  and  cut  the  Rich- 
mond and  Potomac  and  Central  railroads.  This  seemed 
to  promise  the  sudden  march  of  McDowell  from  Fredericks- 
burg,  with  his  corps  of  forty  thousand  men.  McClellan 
was  expecting  him  with  great  anxiety.  Without  his  aid 
he  knew  he  could  not  capture  Richmond. 

General  Fitz  John  Porter,  on  the  27th,  an  hour  after 
reveille,  started  with  his  troops.  The  advance  was  led  by 
Major  Williams,  with  a  cavalry  squadron.  This  was  fol- 
lowed by  an  infantry  regiment  as  skirmishers,  by  batteries 
of  artillery,  and  then  by  the  main  body.  The  soldiers 
marched  in  drenching  rain,  which  rendered  it  hard  to  keep 
the  powder  dry,  and  had  not  advanced  more  than  six  miles 
when  the  enemy's  pickets  were  encountered  and  dispersed. 
At  noon,  the  column  had  advanced  within  three  miles  of  the 
court  house,  and  there  halted.  The  march  was  soon  re- 
sumed, under  a  broiling  sun,  which  succeeded  the  rain,  and 
the  advance  having  met  the  enemy  in  the  woods,  a  keen 
contest  resulted.  The  regiment  could  only  hold  its  ground. 
The  artillery  galloped  up,  unlimbered,  and  poured  sheU 
and  canister  into  the  woods.  The  enemy  were  quickly 


BATTLE    OF   HANOVER   COURT   HOUSE.  167 

[licked  off  by  Berdan's  sharpshooters.  Accessions  of  strengtl 
curne  uj.  from  Martindale's  and  Butterfield's  brigades,  which 
brought  on  a  general  action.  The  artillery  shelled  the 
woods  at  all  points,  and  the  musketry  rolled  in  vollies  fierce 
arid  prolonged.  The  rebels  in  the  covert  of  the  woods  kept 
dp  the  conflict  two  hours,  and  then  broke,  fleeing  in  wild 
dismay  before  the  deadly  fire  of  the  volleying  musketry. 

The  pursuit,  begun  with  a  cheer,  was  stopped  by  Genera" 
Porter,  and  Martindale's  brigade,  with  a  detachment  of  cav- 
alry, was  ordered  to  push  on  the  Central  railroad,  and  de- 
stroy the  bridges  across  the  Pamunkey  river.  This  waa 
executed  without  resistance,  and  a  train  of  cars  from  Rich- 
mond, freighted  with  troops,  narrowly  escaped  capture,  the 
conductor  reversing  his  engine  and  running  back. 

The  brigades  of  Butterfield  and  McQuade,  had  meanwhile 
pursued  the  fugitives  to  the  left,  at  the  point  where  the  rail- 
road forms  a  right  angle  with  the  turnpike.  They  pursued 
through  fields  and  woods,  and  came  upon  the  enemy,  who 
had  been  reinforced  by  the  troops  on  the  train,  and  were  now 
drawn  up  in  the  woods.  A  sharp  and  severe  conflict  then  took 
place.  Martindale's  men  had  stacked  their  guns,  and  were 
resting  on  the  ground.  The  report  of  a  cannon  recalled 
them  to  their  ranks.  The  rebels  retired,  and  made  a  last 
stand  near  the  court  house.  The  tired  regiments  rushed  on 
to  make  a  clean  sweep.  The  artillery  was  hurried  up,  and 
two  batteries  poured  a  concentrated  fire  on  the  woods.  The 
heavy  fire  of  Griffin's  guns,  raked  the  green  woods  with 
fearful  effect,  and  the  infantry  mingled  their  ominous  rattle 
with  the  dread  artillery.  The  action  began  at  five  o'clock, 
and  ended  when  night  drew  her  dark  curtain  on  the  victo- 
rious field.  The  rebels  left  one  hundred  dead  upon  the 
field  Seven  hundred  and  seventy  prisoners,  and  one  gun 
were  captured.  The  Federal  loss  was  three  hundred  and 
forty-five  killed,  wounded,  and  missing. 

The  arrival  of  McDowell,  to  close  up  his  right  wing,  wag 
now  anxiously  awaited  by  McClellan.  It  was  scarcely  mora 
than  fifty  miles  from  Fredericksburg  to  Hanover  Court 
House,  and  the  whole  army  expected  this  reinforcement, 
without  which  an  assault  could  not  be  made  on  Richmond. 
The  enemy  there  anticipated  the  movement,  and  the  terrified 
inhabitants,  who  first  thought  that  the  battle  of  Hanover 
Court  House  had  been  fought  by  McDowell  now  prepared 


165  FLOOD  IN   THE    JHICKA HOMINY. 

to  leave.  With  the  right  wing  unprotected,  and  powerful 
and  well  defended  fortifications  before  them,  McClellan  and 
his  corps  commanders  knew  that  an  assault  on  Richmond 
could  not  fail  to  be  disastrous.  The  movement  of  the  Fed- 
erals on  Richmond  depended  on  the  assistance  of  the  troops 
of  McDowell,  which  were  withheld  for  the  protection  of 
Washington.  The  people,  notwithstanding,  expected  that 
Richmond  would  be  taken.  The  circumstances  were  not 
considered  by  them.  Appeals  were  sent  to  the  Government 
to  fulfil  its  promise.  At  this  crisis,  a  portentous  cloud 
settled  upon  the  brave  army.  The  expected  reinforcements 
had  not  closed  up  the  unprotected  right  wing. 
1  Neither  can  the  Government  be  blamed  for  withholding 
the  troops  of  McDowell.  Its  course  of  action  was  justified 
by  circumstances,  rendering  a  force  around,  or  near  Wash- 
ington, necessary  to  the  public  safety.  The  grand  mistake, 
doubtless,  lay  in  the  fact,  that  the  Federal  army  wanted 
unity  of  action.  Independent  corps  had  no  Commander-in- 
chief  to  direct  the  movements  of  the  whole.  The  Secretary 
of  War  was  not  a  military  man,  am1  the  forces,  which  were 
to  mass  against  one  common  centre,  and  fight  one  great  and 
decisive  battle,  failed  for  want  of  concentration. 

On  the  30th  of  May,  a  terrible  storm  of  rai  a,  with  light- 
ning and  thunder,  broke  upon  the  army  as  it  lay  in  camp. 
The  water  descended  in  torrents,  the  small  stream  of  the 
Chickahominy  became  a  mighty  river,  which  swept  away  one 
bridge,  and  endangered  another.  Broad  lakes  expanded  in 
the  swamps  around,  and  this  unprecedented  flood  divided 
the  Federal  army,  one  portion  of  it  having  already  crossed 
the  Chickahominy.  The  rebels  believed  the  destruction  of 
the  portion  that  crossed,  certain.  A  complete  description  of 
the  Union  forces,  and  their  position,  had  been  found  on  the 
person  of  an  aid  of  the  rebel  commander  Johnston.  Pickets 
reported  the  advance  of  the  enemy.  A  regiment  was  sent 
to  their  support.  Soon,  a  vidette  dashed  in,  and  brought  the 
news  that  heavy  columns  of  the  foe,  in  a  long  line,  were  ad- 
vancing on  the  Union  pickets. 

On  the  advance  toward  Richmond,  McClellan  had  sent 
part  of  his  forces  across  the  river,  before  the  sudden  flood 
had  swelled  the  Chickahominy.  Casey's  division,  which 
before  leaving  Washington  numbered  thirteen  thousand 
men,  was  now  reduced  to  about  half  that  number,  and  held 


BATTLE   OF   PAIR  OAKS  169 

the  advance,  about  seven  miles  from  Richmond.  From 
Bottom's  bridge,  the  Williamsburg  stage  road  runs  toward 
Richmond  ;  and  almost  parallel  to  it,  at  from  one  to  three 
miles'  distance,  runs  the  "West  Point  railroad.  On  these 
roads,  and  between  them,  lay  Casey's  division,  being  the  ad- 
vance of  the  left  wing.  Couch's  division  lay  in  the  rear. 
Negley's  brigade  was  posted  in  cultivated  fields.  Wassell 
was  on  the  centre,  and  Palmer  joined  him  on  the  left 
1  leintzelman  was  in  the  rear,  on  the  same  side  of  the  river, 
but  several  miles  distant  from  the  other  divisions.  Sumnei 
was  ready  to  cross.  This  was  the  situation  of  the  Union 
troops  when  the  storm  came  on.  The  rebels  now  attempted 
the  destruction  of  these  divisions,  and  brought  on  the  battle 
of  Fair  Oaks. 

On  the  last  day  of  May,  1862,  the  long  roll  beat,  and 
Casey's  whole  division  was  under  arms.  It  was  noon,  and 
four  regiments  and  four  cannon  were  sent  to  meet  the  enemy 
The  latter,  under  General  J.  E.  Johnston,  came  on  in  three 
heavy  columns.  Hill  and  Longstreet  were  on  the  wings, 
which  were  widely  extended.  Some  of  the  Federal  regiments 
gallantly  maintained  their  ground  for  hours,  and  Regan's 
artillery  made  great  havoc  among  them  with  grape,  can- 
ister, and  shells.  The  Confederates  relied  on  superior 
numbers,  and  their  small  arms,  and  in  a  hand  to  hand  con- 
flict broke  the  Union  line  of  battle.  Several  regiments 
being  panic-stricken  at  this  juncture,  ignominiously  fled  to 
the  Chickahominy.  General  Peok  and  his  officers  did  all 
that  brave  men  could  to  arrest  their  flight,  but  their  efforts 
were  unavailing.  The  crowd  of  fugitives  increased,  and 
powerful  men,  with  muskets  in  their  hands,  feigning  sickness, 
and  limping  along,  were  not  restrained  even  by  the  line 
drawn  across  the  road  a  little  further  on,  but  continued 
through  the  fields  their  disgraceful  flight  to  the  river. 
Casey's  division  was  gone.  Staff  officers,  sent  by  Keyes  for 
help,  found  Heintzelman  already  advancing.  He  had 
divined  the  presence  of  a  large  force,  and  sent  back  for  the 
brigades  of  Kearney,  Birney,  and  Berry.  And  soon  they 
came.  The  55th  New  York  was  ordered  up  to  the  fight, 
but  faltered.  The  62d  New  York,  amid  the  raining  shells, 
moved  boldly  on,  determined  to  conquer.  Officers  animated 
their  troops,  who  presented  an  undaunted  front  to  the  enemy 
Prom  half  past  oua  o'clock  the  Confederates  had  the  advan- 
II 


170  BATTLE  OF  FAIR  OAKS. 

tagc.  Generals  Couch  and  Peck,  finding  them  massing  on 
the  Union  right  toward  Fair  Oaks,  met  them  in  the  woods, 
and  held  them  in  check  till,  overpowered  by  numbers,  the 
Federals  were  compelled  to  fall  back.  Peck's  horse  was 
killed  under  him,  but  this  brave  leader  mounted  another, 
and  still  encouraged  his  men. 

General  Kearney,  of  Heintzelman's  division,  put  himself 
at  the  head  of  his  troops,  and  led  them  gallantly  through 
the  disordered  mass.  Berry,  without  a  cap,  which  a  ball 
had  carried  away,  led  his  troops  forward  to  victory.  The 
Third  Michigan,  of  his  command,  was  first  up,  aiid  fought 
desperately,  until  ten  of  its  officers,  and  one  hundred  and 
fifty  men  were  killed  or  wounded.  A  company  of  fifty  men, 
expert  marksmen,  lost  half  its  number,  besides  its  captain 
and  lieutenant.  The  Fifth  Michigan  delivered  an  effective 
fire;  it  lost  one  hundred  and  fifty  men.  Jamieson's  brigade 
now  came  up,  and  repulsed  the  enemy  handsomely.  A 
.balloon  appeared  above  the  din  of  battle,  and  informed  Me- 
Clellan,  at  headquarters,  of  all  that  was  transpiring.  Heintzel- 
rnan  held  the  foe  in  check.  Berry,  Kearney,  and  Jainieson 
still  bore  the  brunt  of  the  battle,  and  animated  the  courage 
of  the  troops  to  the  highest  pitch. 

The  advance  of  Sumner's  division  was  now  seen,  as  the 
bayonets  of  Gorman's  brigade  appeared  near  Fair  Oaks 
station.  He  had  come  up  to  the  aid  of  Heintzelman.  One 
of  the  two  bridges  of  Sumner  had  been  swept  away  ;  the 
other  rocked  beneath  the  pressure  of  the  column  in  crossing. 
While  the  artillery  was  crossing,  there  seemed  a  certainty 
that  it  would  break  down,  and  when  at  last,  with  great 
effort,  all  were  safely  across,  it  floated  off  on  the  water.  The 
•struggle  in  the  centre,  before  Slocum's  division  arrived,  was 
terrible.  Kearney,  no  longer  able  to  hold  back  the  over- 
whelming force  against  him,  was  outflanked,  and  his  retreat 
sut  off.  He  ordered  the  Thirty-seventh  New  York,  men  of 
the  finest  material,  to  face  about  and  cover  the  rear.  And 
well  they  did  it,  till  the  advance  fell  back  and  occupied  the 
strong  position  left  at  mid-day. 

Meanwhile,  up  rushes  Sedgwick's  brigade.  Quickly, 
twenty-four  guns  in  an  op3n  field  are  put  in  position,  am) 
rain  forth  a  blighting  tempest  which  sweeps  down  the  op- 
posing enemy  like  a  resist  sss  storm.  The  enemy  made  the 
abortive  attempt  to  withstand  it,  and  then,  wheeling,  left  the 


BATTLE   OF   FAIR   OAKS.  171 

oloody  field  on  which  their  dead  were  strewu  in  heaps 
Night  again  cast  her  mantle  on  the  scene.  The  stern  corn- 
but  had  ceased.  The  combatants  bivouacked  on  the  spot 
where  they  had  fought  in  deadly  strife.  The  opposing 
armies  were  so  closely  encamped,  that  the  pickets  of  each 
could  talk  with  those  of  the  other.  The  dead  were  strewn 
around.  The  dying  were  there,  breathing  their  last  sighs 
of  agony.  Brave  men  lay  down  in  balmy  slumber,  and  losi( 
the  consciousness  of  their  situation  in  dreams  of  home.  Tc 
many  of  them,  it  was  their  last  sleep  on  earth.  The  earth 
would  be  their  resting-place  ere  the  next  day's  decline ;  but 
sleep  now  simulated  that  which  knows  not  waking. 

On  the  1st  of  June — a  calm,  peaceful  Sabbath  day — the 
roll  of  the  drum  roused  the  soldier  from  his  bed  on  the  damp 
earth,  to  the  field  of  battle.  The  rebel  commander,  John- 
ston, had  been  wounded  in  the  first  day's  battle  and  carried 
to  Richmond,  and  could  not  lead  his  troops  to  the  attack 
after  they  had  enjoyed  the  spoils  of  Casey's  and  Couch'* 
camps.  By  daylight,  Hooker's  division  lay  on  the  railroad 
Richardson  and  Sedgwick,  in  a  crescent  shape,  joined  his 
right  with  their  left.  Heintzelman  and  Hooker,  at  six 
o'clock,  made  out  the  order  of  battle.  The  enemy  was  massed 
on  both  the  Union  flanks.  Sickles'  brigade,  composed  of 
the  five  New  York  Excelsior  regiments,  and  the  Fifth  and 
Sixth  New  Jersey,  advanced  a  few  minutes  past  seven,  and 
formed  a  line  of  battle  on  the  rebel  front.  This  drew  on  the 
fire  of  the  latter,  and  the  battle  began.  The  invincible 
Excelsior  regiments  stood  firm.  Every  volley  did  its 
work  of  death  in  the  ranks  of  the  Fifth  and  Sixth  New  Jer- 
sey, but  they  loaded  and  fired  with  cool  precision.  The 
Excelsior  regiments  pressed  forward,  firing  as  they  advanced 
Sickles,  seeing  the  enemy  had  the  advantage  of  being 
covered  by  the  thickets,  sent  the  Second  Excelsior  to 
to  clear  them  out  with  the  bayonet.  This  brave  regiment 
rushed  to  the  charge,  and  the  levelled  pieces  and  glittering 
ateel  approached  nearer  and  nearer.  The  rebels,  with  flash- 
ing eyes  and  undaunted  courage,  gazed  on  the  steady  line  as 
it  advanced.  Reserving  their  fire  until  the  Federals  were 
within  sixty  yards,  a  sheet  of  flame  ran  along  their  ranks, 
and  a  deadly  volley  swept  the  brave  regiment,  which,  with 
one  long,  wild  sho  t,  darted  on  the  foe.  The  smoke  cleared. 
The  deadly  line  c  steel  flashed  on  the  enemy.  The  closed 


172  BATTLE   OF   PAIR   OAKS. 

ranks  swept  on,  carrying  dismay  to  the  breasts  of  the  foe, 
who  broke  and  fled,  as  loud  shouts  of  victory  rent  the  skies. 
These  heroic  deeds  were  emulated  by  the  gallant  regiments 
on  the  centre  and  right,  where  the  tide  of  battle  was  now  roll- 
ing fiercely  on.  Where  the  deadly  fire  of  their  guns  could  not 
clear  the  Confederates  from  their  path,  these  regiments  fin- 
ished the  work  with  the  bayonet.  Meanwhile,  Richardson 
and  Sedgwick  were  grappling  fiercely  with  the  foe.  The 
right  wing,  which  they  held  in  a  semicircle,  had  a  cleared 
field  in  which  to  operate,  more  favorable  than  the  ground  on 
the  left  of  the  division,  where  Hooker  held  the  railroad ; 
woods,  except  in  a  few  places,  covering  the  ground  held 
by  the  latter.  Richardson,  therefore,  planted  a  battery  of 
ten  pound  Parrottguns  in  the  open  space,  and  with  French's 
brigade,  and  a  regiment  of  Howard's,  made  the  first 
line.  The  second  line  consisted  of  Howard's  three  remain- 
ing regiments,  and  the  third  of  Meagher's  artillery — eighteen 
pieces.  Early  in  the  morning  the  enemy's  skirmishers 
formed  in  line  of  battle,  with  a  body  of  cavalry  ready  to 
charge.  They  advanced  on  the  batteries,  but  were  shortly 
dispersed  by  the  Parrott  guns.  They  now  wheeled  to  the 
left,  and  descended  in  great  force  on  the  railroad  track  to  the 
point  where  it  is  intersected  by  two  roads.  They  sent  heavy 
columns  quickly  up  these  roads,  and  deployed  in  line  of 
battle.  As  they  approached,  Howard  and  French  swept 
their  ranks  an  hour  and  a  half  with  tremendous  effect.  How- 
ard, gallantly  exposing  himself  where  the  danger  was  the 
greatest,  had  his  arm  shattered  by  a  ball.  Waving  the 
fractured  limb  above  him,  he  animated  his  brave  troops  and 
was  then  carried  to  the  rear.  Reinforcements  now  were 
received  by  the  enemy,  and  with  loud  yells  they  again 
moved  on  to  the  charge.  General  Francis  Meagher,  at  the 
head  of  his  famous  Irish  brigade,  alvanced  gallantly, 
and  charging  with  gr.eat  fierceness,  mowed  down  the  rebels 
by  platoons  ;  they  were  compelled  to  retreat,  while  a  storm 
of  shells  from  the  Parrott  guns  accelerated  their  flight 
The  enemy,  along  the  whole  line  of  battle,  were  repelled  at 
every  point. 

As  McClellan,  at  noon,  rode  over  the  field  with  his  staffj 
he  was  cheered  by  the  troops  with  the  greatest  enthusiasm. 
He  sat  down  by  He  itzelman  on  the  ground  beneath  a  tree, 
and  other  generals  soming  up,  a  picturesque  group  was 


LOSSES   ON   BOTH   SIDES.  173 

formed,  as  reports  came  in  that  the  enemy  was  falling  back. 
The  field  was  won,  and  had  all  the  troops  been  across  the 
river,  or  its  swollen  state  permitted,  McClellan  would  have 
led  on  his  victorious  troops  to  the  rebel  capital. 

Deafening  shouts  greeted  the  commander  as  he  rode 
through  the  victorious  ranks.  The  poor  wounded  soldiers 
raised  their  heads  and  joined  in  the  deafening  cheers  which 
re-echoed  over  the  field  won  at  such  heavy  cost.  It  was  in- 
deed won,  but  presented  a  terrible  spectacle  on  the  Sabbath 
evening  which  witnessed  men  of  the  same  race  and  religion 
laying  slaughtered  in  thousands.  The  Union  loss  was  five 
thousand  seven  hundred  and  thirty-nine  killed,  wounded, 
and  missing,  many  prisoners,  nineteen  cannon  taken  from 
Casey's  division,  and  stores  of  different  kinds  in  abundance. 
The  Confederate  loss  has  been  variously  estimated  at  from 
ten  to  twelve  thousand  men.  General  Pettigrew,  of  South 
Carolina,  was  taken  prisoner,  and  Johnston,  the  Confederate 
commander-in-chief,  was  wounded.  A  pile  was  made  of  four 
hundred  horses  which  had  been  killed  in  the  action,  and 
their  bodies  consumed  by  fire.  The  tactics  of  the  enemy 
were  the  same  in  this  battle  as  in  that  of  Pittsburg  Landing 
In  both  cases  they  attempted  to  drive  one  portion  of  the 
troops  into  the  river,  and  then  attack  the  other.  In  both 
they  massed  their  men,  and  in  both  failed.  Both  sides  as 
then  claimed  the  victory,  but  the  battle  was  indecisive. 
McClellan  was  not  interrupted  in  his  designs  by  this  battle, 
but  a  disaster  to  the  Union  arms  in  the  Shenandoah  valley, 
tended  at  length  to  visit  him  and  his  army  with  serious 
consequences. 


CHAPTER    XYII1. 

MAY,   1862. 

REPORT  OF  THE  BATTLE — MCDOWELL   ABOUT   TO    JOIK  OK  TH1 

BIOHT  WING — 8HIKI.DS  ON    THK  WAY — BANKS    AT    8TRA8BCRG JACK8ON 

DETERMINES    ON    AN    ATTACK GREAT    HEROISM    OF    COLONEL    KENLT    AT 

FRONT  ROYAL — BANKS*  FAMOUS  RKTRKAT  TO  THE  POTOMAC — BATTLE  OF 
WINCHESTER — THE  MILITIA  CALLED  OUT — MCDOWELL  AND  FREMONT 
ORDERED  TO  CUT  OFF  JACKSON*8  RETREAT — HALLECK  AT  CORINTH — NATAL 
ACTION  AT  FORT  WRIGHT — SPLENDID  CAVALRY  CHARGE — FIGHT  AT 

FARMIXOTON — EVACUATION    OF     CORINTH GENERAL     BUTLKR    AT     NEW 

ORLEANS. 

THE  despatch  of  McClellan  to  the  Government,  announc- 
ing victory,  spoke  in  terms  of  great  eulogy  of  all  the  troops 
except  those  of  Casey's  division.  "  It  gave  way,"  says  the 
report,  "  unaccountably  and  discreditably."  Better  infor- 
mation caused  some  modification  later,  but  the  commander- 
in-chief  continued  to  feel  that  its  behavior  in  face  of  the 
enemy  was  disgraceful,  and  that  it  brought  the  army  to  the 
verge  of  destruction. 

General  McDowell,  previous  to  the  battle  of  Fair  Oaks, 
was  preparing  to  leave  Fredericksburg  and  join  McClellan. 
News  arrived  that  his  division  had  crossed  the  Rappahan- 
nock,  and  it  was  anticipated  that  an  advance  would  at  onoe 
be  made  on  Richmond.  It  was  said  that  General  Shields 
would  augment  his  forces  by  fifteen  thousand  men,  and  that 
he  had  left  Banks'  division  for  that  purpose. . 

Banks  had  for  awhile  pursued  "  Stonewall"  Jackson  after 
the  victory  over  him  at  Winchester,  but  had  not  succeeded 
in  bringing  on  a  battle.  His  movements  were  for  a  time 
suspended,  and  the  evacuation  of  Yorktown  made  no  change 
in  his  position  nor  in  that  of  McDowell.  Both  remained  as 
they  were  before.  Banks  was  at  Strasburg  with  five  thou- 
sand men,  including  fifteen  hundred  cavalry,  and  should 
Jackson  advance,  he  must  retreat.  On  the  departure  of 
Shields,  Banks  quietly  remained  at  Strasburg,  and  placed 
Colonel  Kenly,  with  a  Maryland  regiment,  at  Front  Royal, 
twelve  miles  in  advance.  Jackson  was  not  long  in  finding 
out  that  Shields  had  departed,  and  thus  weakened  Bank*' 

(174) 


BANKS  AT  STRASBURG.  175 

foroas.  He  determined  to  take  advantage  of  this  state  of 
affairs,  and  by  a  dash  on  General  Banks,  capture  his  whole 
force ;  and  thus,  while  alarm  would  seize  the  Government 
at  Washington  on  account  of  the  threatening  aspect  on  the 
Potomac,  no  more  troops  would  be  sent  to  reinforce  Mc- 
Clellan. 

Accordingly,  Jackson,  on  the  23d  of  May,  made  a  hostile 
demonstration,  by  appearing  on  the  banks  of  the  Shenan- 
doah  at  Front  Royal,  where  Kenly,  with  his  regiment,  waa 
stationed.  Kenly  caused  the  long  roll  to  be  sounded,  and 
drew  up  his  men  in  line  of  battle  on  a  commanding  position 
and  waited  the  enemy's  approach.  Soon  they  appeared 
and  in  heavy  force  opened  fire  with  musketry  and  artillery 
on  the  small  band  of  Union  troops.  With  great  bravery 
and  accurate  aim  they  returned  the  enemy's  fire,  and  checked 
his  advancing  columns,  but  could  not  repel  him.  This 
brave  regiment  maintained  a  desperate  contest  with  five 
times  its  number,  and  covered  itself  with  undying  renown. 

Meantime,  General  Banks,  at  Strasburg,  being  informed 
of  the  critical  condition  of  affairs,  was  yet  incredulous  of  the 
presence  of  any  considerable  force.  Nevertheless,  he  sent  a 
regiment  of  infantry  and  some  cavalry  to  reinforce  Kenly. 
The  latter  fought  with  great  resolution  and  obstinately  for 
hours.  At  three  o'clock  was  heard  the  clatter  of  horses 
hoofs  over  Shenandoah  bridge,  and  one  hundred  of  the 
Harris  Light  cavalry  dashed  up  to  the  rescue.  Their 
charge  was  too  light  to  be  effective  on  so  large  a  body  of 
the  enemy.  The  numbers  of  the  latter  increased  so  greatly, 
that  Kenly  was  obliged  to  fall  back  over  the  river.  This 
was  effected  in  an  orderly  manner.  The  bridge  was  piled 
with  rails  and  fired.  But  the  burning  was  slow,  and  the 
enemy,  dashing  up,  extinguished  the  fire.  Bushing  across 
;n  large  numbers  on  both  the  Federal  flanks,  a  desperate 
combat  was  maintained  in  a  hand  to  hand  encounter.  Kenly 
now  charged  with  such  fury  that  the  enemy  fell  back. 
With  a  force  against  him  of  five  thousand  men,  and  a 
body  of  cavalry  greater  than  his  whole  regiment,  what  could 
Kenly  now  do  ?  To  reach  Strasburg,  he  saw  was  an  impos- 
sibility. Being  called  on  to  surrender,  he  shot  down  the 
man  who  made  such  a  demand.  In  consequence,  however, 
of  the  great  disparity  of  numbers  against  which  the  brave 
little  band  had  so  Ion  $  noblv  struggled,  and  the  loss  of  thei? 


BANKS'    RETREAT   TO   THE   POTOMAC, 

gallant  colonel,  who  now  fell  severely  wounded,  it  broke  and 
dispersed.  Less  than  one  fifth  escaped,  and  nearly  all  of  the 
survivors  were  captured. 

The  reinfoi  .-ements  sent  to  Kenly  were  recalled  late  in 
the  evening.  Banks  sent  scouts  to  find  out  the  force  and 
position  of  Jackson.  On  every  road  they  found  the  enemy's 
pickets,  who  were  all  over  the  country.  Banks  at  last  saw 
that  the  foe  was  upon  him  in  great  force,  and  that  his  entire 
command  was  on  the  brink  of  impending  destruction.  He 
deliberated  whether  to  fight  the  enemy,  retreat  across  the 
mountains,  or  falling  back  suddenly  on  Winchester,  re-open 
communication  with  the  Potomac.  He  determined  on  the 
last  course.  On  the  morning  of  May  24th,  at  three  o'clock, 
seven  hundred  disabled  soldiers  were  sent  with  the  wagon 
train,  and  a  strong  escort  of  cavalry  and  infantry,  on  the 
road  to  Winchester.  The  rest  of  the  troops  folio  wed,  except 
General  Hatch,  with  the  cavalry  and  six  pieces  of  artillery, 
which  were  left  to  guard  the  rear,  and  hold  Strasburg  as 
long  as  possible. 

Scarcely  had  the  army  advanced  three  miles,  when  word 
was  brought  from  the  wagon  train  in  front,  that  the  road 
was  in  possession  of  the  enemy.  Fugitives,  teamsters,  and 
drivers,  lashing  up  their  horses,  which  brought  the  wagons 
rumbling  along  at  full  speed,  now  came  back  in  confusion. 
Their  trepidation  might  have  created  a  panic  among  the 
soldiers,  but  the  general  now  ordered  the  troops  to  advance, 
and  the  train  fell  in  behind.  More  confidence  was  inspired 
with  the  advent  of  daylight,  and  the  march  continued  until 
near  Middletown,  thirteen  miles  from  Winchester.  The 
enemy  at  this  place  Avere  prepared  to  dispute  the  advance. 
Colonel  Donnelly  halted  his  brigade.  The  Forty -sixth 
Pennsylvania  regiment,  Colonel  Knipe,  was  sent  to  clear  the 
woods  on  the  right  of  the  enemy's  skirmishers.  The  artil- 
lery dispersed  a  body  of  cavalry  from  these  woods,  and  the 
•kirmishers  pursued  them.  A  destructive  fire  from  the 
Twenty-eighth  New  York,  compelled  the  enemy  to  fall  back. 
Being  pursued  by  the  infantry  and  artillery,  they  were 
iriven  back  two  miles  from  the  road,  which  being  now 
clear,  the  columns  continued  their  onward  march. 

When  the  panic  took  place  with  the  wagon  train,  Banks 
had  sent  back  to  Strasburg  tor  Hatch,  and  the  latter  was 
on  his  way  when  he  came  upon  the  enemy.  He  took  a  par 


BANKS   AT  WINCHESTER.  177 

ullel  road  to  the  left,  and  twelve  companies  of  his  cavalry 
not  long  after,  finding  the  turnpike  occupied  by  the  enemy 
with  infantry,  artillery,  and  cavalry,  returned  to  Strasburg, 
where  they  found  the  Zouaves  d'Afrique,  who  had  been 
Banks1  body  guard,  commanded  by  Captain  Charles  EL  T 
Co  11  is.  The  strong  rebel  force  in  every  direction  rendered 
it  impossible  for  the  different  detachments  to  reach  the  main 
column,  and  they  wandered  in  by-ways  to  find  such  an  op- 
portunity, The  army  was  rapidly  advancing  toward  Win- 
chester. News  now  came  that  the  wagon  train  in  the  rear 
was  attacked.  The  situation  was  critical.  It  was  difficult 
for  Banks  to  make  up  his  mind,  whether  to  abandon  his 
train  and  save  his  army,  or  attempt  to  save  both.  He  re- 
solved to  do  the  latter,  if  possible.  Colonel  Gordon,  of  the 
rear-guard,  now  marched  to  relieve  the  trains  and  check  the 
enemy,  whom  he  found  in  force  on  his  way  back,  at  Newtown. 
Three  regiments  deploying  in  the  fields,  with  loud  cheers 
cleared  the  rebels  out  of  Newtown,  while  the  artillery  rained 
a  deadly  fire  on  their  batteries.  The  troops  pursued  them 
toward  Middletown,  which  it  was  intended  to  reach,  and 
open  a  way  for  Hatch's  cavalry,  who  were  much  needed  to 
protect  the  rear.  The  progress  of  these  brave  regiments 
was  stopped  by  the  overwhelming  force  of  the  enemy,  arid 
falling  back  they  were  furiously  assailed  by  cavalry,  who 
were  determined  to  break  their  line  and  capture  the  wagon 
train.  Forming  in  solid  squares,  from  which  they  hurled 
forth  murderous  volleys,  the  rebels  were  forced  to  turn  and 
gallop  down  the  road.  These  brave  Union  troops  defended 
the  train  with  great  resolution.  And  now  the  teamsters, 
urging  on  their  horses,  the  long  line  of  trains  was  lost  to 
view  behind  the  farthest  hill.  The  disabled  trains  were 
burnt.  Reports  announced  the  presence  of  the  enemy  in 
great  force  near  Winchester,  and  rebel  officers  dashed  into 
the  Union  lines,  believing  the  town  in  their  own  possession. 

General  Banks  halted  here  for  the  night,  and  the  wearied 
troops  bivouacked  on  the  ground.  Colonel  Gordon  was  on 
the  right,  and  Donnelly's  brigade,  a  mile  and  a  half  from 
the  town  on  ihe  Front  Eoyal  road,  protected  the  left.  The 
actual  number  of  the  enemy  was  unknown  at  the  time,  but 
it  was  afterward  found  to  be  twenty  thousand. 

The  enemy  drove  in  the  Union  outposts  at  Winchester 
long  before  daylight;  and  a  1  ^avy  artillery  fire  at  dawn  told 


£78  BATTLE   OF  WINCHESTER. 

that  the  a.tack  had  begun.  In  the  scene  of  confusion  which 
ensued  from  the  fears  of  the  townspeople,  the  trepidation  of 
teamsters,  and  the  shouts  of  the  troops,  Banks  exhibited  a 
calm  and  unmoved  countenance.  The  first  attack  of  the 
enemy  was  on  the  left,  under  Donnelly,  who  charged  when 
they  came  on,  and  handsomely  repulsed  them.  The  fight 
was  continued  desperately  three  quarters  of  an  hour,  and  the 
«  aves  of  battle  rolled  and  surged,  till  the  destructive  fire  of 
the  Federals  having  destroyed  nearly  one  of  the  rebel  regi- 
ments, the  latter  gave  way.  The  smoke  of  battle  clearing 
away,  the  enemy  were  disclosed  advancing  upon  Colonel 
Gordon  on  the  right.  The  same  well  aimed  volleys  as  on  the 
left,  laid  many  or  them  low.  Some  of  the  Union  troops  at 
this  point  mistaking  an  order,  fell  back,  and  wild  shouts 
from  the  hill  disclosed  a  numerous  force  of  the  enemy,  which 
rendered  it  necessary  for  the  whole  line  to  retire.  In  the 
confusion,  some  troops  were  thrown  in  disorder  in  passing 
through  the  town.  Citizens  from  the  windows,  and  even 
women,  fired  upon  the  soldiers.  One  of  the  latter  shot  a  dis- 
abled soldier,  who  rested  on  her  door  steps,  dead,  with  his 
own  revolver.  The  troops  rapidly  reformed  beyond  the 
town,  and  continued  their  march.  The  retreat  for  five  miles 
was  in  the  order  of  battle.  No  rebel  infantry  pursued,  but 
artillery  and  cavalry  harassed  the  Union  retreat.  While 
the  column  rested  at  Bunker  Hill,  Captain  Bo  wen,  of  the 
rear-guard,  was  surrounded  by  three  hundred  rebel  cav- 
alry. Forming  a  line,  he  forced  his  way  through  them  with 
fixed  bayonets,  and  amid  cheers  reached  the  main  body. 

The  army,  in  three  columns,  advanced  to  Martinsburg. 
The  five  hours  during  which  Banks  held  the  enemy  in  check 
at  Winchester,  saved  the  train  of  five  hundred  wagons, 
which  kept  on  toward  the  Potomac.  After  a  halt  of  two 
hours  and  a  half  at  Martinsburg,  the  march  was  continued 
to  the  Potomac.  One  thousand  wagons  and  other  vehicles 
lined  the  banks  of  the  river.  A  pontoon  bridge  received 
the  troops  in  detachments,  and  by  noon  next  day,  they  stood 
in  safety  on  the  Maryland  side.  The  killed,  wounded,  and 
missing  in  this  retreat,  was  nine  hundred  and  five.  Over 
seven  hundred  were  captured  or  straggled.  At  Strasburg, 
Banks  left  sixty-four  sick,  and  at  Winchester,  one  hundred 
and  twenty -five.  Eight  surgeons,  who  volunteered  to  attend 
them,  and  surrendered  us  prisoners  of  war,  were  generouslj 


THE    MILITIA    CALLED   OFT.  179 

.eft  free  to  return  to  the  Union  lines  by  "Stonewall" 
Jackson.  This  retreat  was  one  of  the  most  masterly  in  th« 
pages  of  history.  Never  did  men  behave  with  more  gal- 
lantry, or  fight  with  more  determination. 

The  rebel  commander  was  unable  to  destroy  Banks,  who 
displayed  all  the  qualities  of  a  skilful  general.  One  great 
object  Jackson  gained,  however.  By  this  movement  he  pre- 
vented the  reinforcement  of  McClellan,  through  the  fears 
which  were  now  entertained  by  the  Secretary  of  War.  Gen- 
eral Fremont,  in  Western  Virginia,  was  ordered  to  cross  tho 
mountains  and  intercept  the  retreat  of  Jackson.  McDowell 
was  to  send  a  division  of  his  forces,  and  the  telegraph  called 
on  the  North  to  hurry  troops  in  all  haste  to  the  defence  of 
Washington.  The  whole  militia  force  was  called  out  foi 
three  months,  though  only  some  arrived  at  the  national 
capital. 

Meanwhile,  exciting  news  came  from  other  parts  of  the 
country.  At  Corinth,  Mississippi,  General  Halleck  was 
preparing  to  deal  the  enemy  a  heavy  blow.  After  the  fall 
of  New  Orleans,  Farragut  moved  up  the  Mississippi,  captur- 
ing several  towns  on  his  course,  and  the  control  of  the  great 
river,  which  was  only  a  matter  of  time,  made  a  great  change 
in  the  military  aspect.  It  was  a  considerable  way  to  Mem- 
phis, but  Halleck  pushed  on,  drawing  nearer  and  nearer  the 
rebel  fortifications. 

An  expedition  cut  the  Mobile  and  Ohio  railroad  at  Purdy, 
and  severed  Beauregard's  communication  with  the  North. 
General  Paine,  who  was  sent  on  the  8d  of  May  by  General 
Pope  to  Farmington,  Mississippi,  met  and  defeated  four 
thousand  of  the  enemy,  with  the  loss  of  only  fourteen  killed 
and  wounded.  An  artillery  reconnoissance  at  the  same 
time  to  Ellendale,  destroyed  part  of  the  track  of  the  Mem- 
phis and  Charleston  railroad. 

Meanwhile,  a  great  naval  expedition  had  been  progressing 
against  Fort  Wright,  on  the  Mississippi  rrver,  in  Tennessee. 
A  large  number  of  Federal  gunboats,  under  Flag-officer 
Foote,  had  been  preparing  an  attack.  He  was  waiting  until 
Farragut  should  come  up  the  river ;  and  the  rebels,  being 
reduced  to  a  very  close  condition,  determined  to  attack  and 
destroy  his  fleet  before  the  expected  arrival  of  the  latter. 
Accordingly,  on  the  morning  of  the  10th  of  May,  they  ad- 
vanced from  under  tl  e  guns  of  the  fort  with  eight  iron -clad 


iSO  NAVAL    ACTION    AT   FORT  WRIGHT. 

gunboats,  four  of  them  fitted  up  as  rams  The  first  that  came 
round  the  point  was  the  rebel  rarn  Louisiana,  four  gunboats 
accompanying  her.  The  Cincinnati  allowed  the  ram  to  pro- 
ceed unmolested  for  awhile,  and  then  swung  into  the  stream. 
The  ram  turned  to  run  her  down,  and  Captain  Stemmel,  of 
the  Cincinnati,  poured  a  heavy  broadside  on  her.  Seeing 
lliat  he  could  not  stop  her,  he  altered  the  course  of  his  vessel 
50  as  to  avoid  the  ram,  and  at  pistol  range,  with  his  revolver 
shot  the  pilot  at  the  wheel.  At  the  same  moment,  a  ball 
pierced  him  in  the  shoulder.  A  deadly  fire  with  small  arms 
now  took  place.  An  attempt  of  the  ram  to  drive  her  iron 
prow  into  the  Cincinnati  and  sink  her,  proved  abortive. 
The  rebel  captain  then  determined  to  board  her.  Stemmel 
opened  his  steam  batteries,  and  turned  the  hose  upon  the 
rain;  her  deck  was  swarming  with  boarders,  armed  to  the 
teeth,  who  sent  up  shrieks  of  dreadful  agony,  and  many 
jumped  into  the  river.  The  ram  then  withdrew.  Meantime, 
the  rebel  gunboat  Mai  lory  tried  the  same  course,  and  moved 
on  swiftly.  The  Federal  gunboat  St.  Louis,  under  a  full 
head  of  steam,  ran  into  her  amidships,  and  cut  her  in  two. 
The  water  rushed  in  through  the  gash,  and  with  her  crew, 
except  some  who  clung  to  the  Cincinnati,  and  a  few  whom 
the  St.  Louis  picked  up,  went  to  the  bottom.  A  fierce  can- 
nonading now  took  olace,  as  the  other  Union  gunboats 
took  part  in  the  fight.  Smoke  wrapped  the  river  in  a  cloud. 
A  rebel  gunboat  then  blew  up,  and  the  banks  trembled, 
while  only  a  few  timbers  marked  the  place  where  she  had 
floated.  Captain  C.  II.  Davis,  on  the  flag-ship  Benton, 
directed  all  the  operations  of  his  fleet,  and  signals  informed 
him  that  the  captain  of  each  vessel  was  performing  his  part 
well.  Captain  Davis  had  shown  himself  a  skilful  com- 
mander, and  the  rebels,  with  their  shattered  fleet,  having 
been  badly  punished,  retired,  and  sought  protection  under 
»he  guns  of  the  fort.  After  the  engagement,  it  was  .discov- 
ered that  the  Cincinnati  was  much  injured.  The  Federal 
loss  otherwise  was  slight. 

On  the  9th  of  May,  Beauregard  made  an  attempt  on  the 
iand  forces,  as  useless  as  the  one  made  the  day  after  by  the 
rebel  flotilla  on  the  fleet.  Pope  had  captured  Farrnington  on 
the  3d,  and  the  rebels  retook  it  three  days  after.  On  the  8th, 
Pope  again  occupied  it,  and  the  cavalry  advanced  within 
three  miles  of  Corrnth.  On  the  next  day,  the  ?nemy,  com- 


SPLENDID   CAVALRY   CHARGE  181 

manded  by  General  Bragg,  marched  against  him  in  force. 
The  artillery  began  the  fight  at  ten,  and  it  lasted  till  noon 
The  Federal  forces  were  commanded  by  General  Paine,  who 
determined  to  withdraw,  as  the  enemy  were  trying  to  get 
in  on  his  rear.  There  was  a  road  through  a  swamp  along 
which  he  must  pass  with  his  troops.  The  enemy  had 
planted  their  artillery  so  as  to  make  a  cross  fire  on  this  road 
and  their  wings  were  widely  extended.  To  save  time,  and 
get  his  men  through,  Payne  sent  Colonel  Hatch,  with  the  Sec- 
ond Iowa,  on  the  desperate  mission  of  charging  the  enemy's 
guns.  Dashing  through  a  ravine  and  up  a  slope,  the  brave 
lowans  stood  before  the  battery.  Forming,  they  obeyed  the 
bugle  call,  their  sabres  flashed  aloft,  and  on  the  guns  they 
dashed,  driving  the  skirmishers  from  their  path.  The  enemy'a 
artillery,  opening  with  deadly  missiles,  would  have  made  them 
vanish  like  smoke,  but  the  too  great  depression  of  the 
guns  was  fortunate.  The  ground  in  front  was  ploughed 
up,  and  one  hundred  horses  fell,  but  the  brave  cavaliers 
dashed  on,  and  the  terrified  gunners  limbered  up  their  pieces. 
His  duty  being  accomplished,  Hatch  sounded  the  recall  but 
the  brave  cavalrymen  never  halted  till  they  had  sabred  the 
gunners  ;  then  they  fell  back  to  the  swamp,  and  the  column 
passed  on  beyond.  In  this  engagement,  the  Union  loss  was 
twenty-one  killed  and  one  hundred  and  forty  wounded.  That 
of  the  enemy  was  reported  to  be  four  hundred  and  twenty. 

It  was  not  the  design  of  Halleck  to  bring  on  a  general 
engagement,  and  Pope  was  not  reinforced  with  sufficient 
force  to  hold  his  own.  The  army  advanced  step  by  step, 
so  as  to  make  success  certain,  and  Beauregard  was  kept  in 
his  intrenchrnents.  The  preparations  were  ready  on  the 
28th,  and  three  columns  advanced  to  reconnoitre  along  the 
entire  line,  and  feel  and  unmask  the  batteries  of  the  enemy 
This  brought  on  a  sharp  engagement,  in  which  the  enemy 
were  repulsed  at  all  points.  On  the  29th,  General  William 
T.  Sherman  placed  a  battery  within  a  thousand  yards  of  the 
enemy's  works,  and  an  attack  was  expected  to  be  made  by 
the  whole  army  next  day.  Pope,  at  ten  o'clock,  opened  on 
the  enemy  with  his  artillery,  and  the  cannonading  continued 
the  entire  day.  During  the  night  the  rumbling  of  cars  and 
the  shrieks  of  steam  whistles  were  heard  in  the  enemy'a 
camp,  as  were  also  several  loud  explosions.  Skirmishers  were 
thrown  out,  an  advance  ordered,  and  Pope  entered  a  deserted 
U 


182       GENERAL  BUTLKR  AT  NEW  ORLEANS. 

place.  The  evacuation  of  Corinth  had  been  going  oi<  for 
days,  and  where  the  rebel  troops  had  gone  was  unknown 
The  stars  and  stripes  were  planted  en  the  works,  arid  the 
mayor  formally  surrendered  the  town.  The  position  was  a 
strong  one  naturally,  and  rendered  more  so  by  the  best  engi- 
neering skill  of  the  "  Confederacy." 

Meanwhile.  General  B.  F.  Butler  was  administering  justice 
to  all  classes  of  people  at  New  Orleans.  He  divided  the 
Confederate  stores  among  the  poor,  appointed  a  provost 
marshal,  tried  to  bring  back  the  misguided  to  their  loyalty 
and  suppressed  disloyal  sentiments.  He  took  possession  of 
the  Delta  newspaper,  which  was  thereafter  conducted  by  an 
editor  from  the  army,  and  put  an  end  to  other  scurrilous 
sheets.  Stores  were  opened,  the  banks  renewed  their  busi- 
ness, and  no  Confederate  scrip  was  allowed  to  be  circulated. 
Ladies  who  insulted  the  soldiers  in  the  streets,  were  ordered 
to  be  treated  as  women  of  the  town  plying  their  vocation. 
This  order  gave  great  dissatisfaction  to  the  rebels,  and  drew 
forth  much  animadversion  from  Europe.  Butler  was  threat- 
ened with  assassination,  but  steadily  persevered,  and  undei 
the  old  flag,  matters  became  more  prosperous. 

The  banks  of  the  Mississippi  were  now  cleared  to  Vicks 
burg,  and  its  whole  length  was  soon  expected  to  be  without 
obstruction.  The  President,  about  the  middle  of  the  month, 
had  by  proclamation  opened  the  ports  of  Beaufort,  Port 
Royal,  and  New  Orleans,  and  commerce,  it  was  hoped,  would 
soon  improve. 

The  Secretary  cf  War,  this  month,  issued  an  order  prohib 
iting  the  enlistment  of  more  volunteers.  Regiments  were 
disbanded,  and  recruiting  offices  closed.  The  army  was 
losing  ten  thousand  men  monthly,  and  the  great  decisive  fielda 
of  the  rebellion  were  yet  to  be  won.  The  Confederate  army 
was  doubling  by  the  conscriptions  so  rigorousl}  enforced, 
and  ours  was  rapidly  decreasing.  The  disasters  which  bcfel 
the  army  are  not  difficult  to  be  accounted  for.  It  was  soon 
seen  that  a  policy  of  this  kind  would  never  save  the  nation. 

A  defeat  of  the  army  before  Richmond  -would  be  a  great 
calamity ;  a  victory  would  counterbalance  all  disadvantages. 
No  idea  of  defeat  or  disaster  entered  the  public  mind. 
Richmond  must  be  taken,  that  was  sure ;  and  this  fact 
once  settled,  every  thing  became  easy.  But  the  Divine  Being 
works  with  mysterious  designs,  and  human  expectations  ara 
not  uncommonly  disappointed. 


UtiAPTER  XIX. 

JUNE,  1862. 

**»AL    ACTION    BKFOKB    MEMPHIS — ITS     EVACUATION — GENERAL    Mm  HK1A 

C4.PTURE8    CHATTANOOGA EXPEDITION    UP    TUB    WHITE     RIVER — BUTLKi 

AT    NEW    ORLEANS LOYAL     EAST     TENNESREA.VS — PARSON    BROWNLOW 

MORGAN     OCCUPIES     CUMBERLAND     GAP FREMONT    PURSUES    JACKSON 

RIGHT    AT    HARRI8ONBURG BATTLE     OF     CROSS     KEYS FIGHT     AT     PORT 

REPUBLIC FREMONT  SUPERSEDED  BY  POPE — BATTLE  OF  JAMES  ISLAND. 

• 

THE  rebels,  after  the  evacuation  of  Corinth,  fell  back  into 
different  new  positions,  and  were  not  attacked  in  any  of  them 
by  the  Union  army,  which  now  lay  inactive.  No  opera- 
tions in  the  field  took  place,  except  those  of  Mitchell  in 
Alabama. 

The  Union  fleet,  however,  descended  the  Mississippi,  and 
bid  fair  to  join  Farragut  at  an  early  day.  Forts  Wright 
and  Pillow  were  evacuated  in  succession,  and  in  the  pleasant 
rays  of  the  morning  of  June  6th,  Memphis  was  disclosed  to 
the  fleet.  All  was  quiet,  and  promised  the  peaceful  occu- 
pation of  the  place ;  but,  at  the  lower  end  of  the  town,  the 
approaching  flotilla  descried  that  of  the  enemy  lying  close 
to  the  Arkansas  side  of  the  river.  The  Confederate  fleet 
consisted  of  the  General  Bragg,  the  Jeff.  Thompson,  Beau- 
regard,  Lovell,  General  Van  Dorn,  Su  niter,  General  Price, 
and  Little  Rebel,  and  was  under  the  command  of  Commodore 
Edward  Montgomery.  They  were  steamers,  altered  into 
gunboats,  and  carried  from  two  to  twelve  guns  each.  The 
gunboats  of  Commodore  C.  H.  Davis,  which  were  brought 
into  action,  were  the  flag-ship  Benton,  the  Louisville,  Cairo, 
St.  Louis,  and  Carondelet.  There  were,  in  addition,  four 
steam  rams,  commanded  by  Colonel  Charles  Ellet,  viz.:  the 
Queen  of  the  West.  Monarch,  Lancaster,  and  Switzerland. 
The  rebel  fleet  met  that  of  the  Federals  in  gallant  style,  op- 
posite Memphis.  The  inhabitants,  in  multitudes,  swarmed 
the  levee,  bluff,  and  house-tops,  near  the  river.  This  day 
witnessed  as  complete  an  overthrow  as  ever  the  rebel  arms 
had  met  with.  The  battle  commenced  at  five  o'clock  in  the 

(183) 


184  NAVAL   ACTION   BEFORE   MEMPHIS. 

morning.  "While  the  vessels  were  approaching,  Colone 
Ellet  ordered  the  Queen  of  the  West  and  Monarch  to  drop 
down  the  river  and  pass  between  the  rebel  boats  and  the 
shore.  The  current  was  swift,  and  the  river  here  narrow 
The  enemy,  in  fighting  up  the  river,  had  the  advantage  of 
steerage  way.  The  two  rams  reached  their  position,  and 
began  the  engagement. 

The  Queen  of  the  West  drove  with  great  force  into  the 
General  Price,  and  took  off  her  wheel.  The  latter  soon 
sunk.  The  Queen,  in  turn,  was  soon  disabled  by  the  Beau- 
regard.  The  Monarch  then,  with  a  severe  butt,  disabled 
the  latter.  She  sunk  at  last,  and  her  crew  was  saved  by  the 
Little  Rebel.  The  Benton  and  Lovell  then  engaged.  The 
fifty  pound  Parrott  guns  of  the  Benton  raked  the  Lovell 
fore  and  aft,  and  shots  pierced  her  sides.  Her  boilers  soon 
exploded,  and  the  scalded  crew,  suffocated  and  in  the  great- 
est agony,  rushed  frantically  on  deck  and  implored  assist- 
ance. She  began  to  sink,  and  hardly  could  the  yawl  from 
the  Benton  rescue  a  few  of  her  crew  before  she  went  down 
in  one  hundred  feet  of  water.  The  rest  of  the  rebel  flotilla 
had  so  far  been  engaged  at  long  range.  The  Beauregard, 
riddled  with  shot,  was  filling  fast,  and  drifting  ashore,  sunk 
upon  a  shoal  to  her  decks.  The  Jeff.  Thompson  was  on 
fire,  and  the  flames  could  not  be  extinguished.  Her  maga- 
zine exploded,  and  filled  the  river  with  shattered  timber 
and  flying  shells.  The  Sumter,  disabled  by  the  Federal 
boats,  drifted  ashore  at  President's  island.  The  General 
Bragg,  unable  longer  to  maintain  the  contest,  dropped  down 
the  river,  and  was  run  ashore  and  abandoned.  Boarded  by 
the  crew  of  the  Benton,  she  was  found  to  have  on  twice  the 
ordinary  pressure  of  steam,  proving  that  the  intention  was 
to  blow  her  to  atoms.  A  prize  crew  was  put  on  board,  the 
stars  and  stripes  raised,  and  she  was  towed  to  Memphis.  A 
shot,  about  the  same  time,  struck  the  Little  Eebel  and  dis- 
abled her;  in  attempting  to  reach  the  Arkansas  shore,  she 
was  captured.  Thus,  in  less  than  an  hour  and  a  half,  the 
whole  rebel  fleet,  except  the  Van  Dorn,  was  destroyed  01 
captured.  Being  quicker  than  any  of  the  Federal  vessels, 
she  escaped.  A  greater  defeat  could  not  be.  Commodore 
Montgomery,  and  some  of  his  officers,  escaped  to  the  thick- 
ets on  the  Arkansas  shore.  Their  loss  was  one  hundred ; 
the  Federal  loss  was  light.  Commodore  Ellet  was  wounded 


OCCUPATIOJf   OP   MEMPHIS.  185 

m  the  leg,  and  expired  subsequently,  partly  from  unskilful 
treatment.  The  Queen  of  the  West  was  seriously  disabled 
Commodore  Davis  then  took  possession  of  Memphis,  and  a 
portion  of  the  Federal  troops  weie  quartered  there.  The 
stars  and  stripes  were  unfurled,  and  the  supremacy  of  the 
Uniled  States  Government  again  established  in  one  of  the 
jrrcat  marts  of  Tennessee.  This  once  flourishing  city  had  a 
aosoiate  appearance ;  many  of  the  inhabitants  had  left  it  and 
fled  The  stores  were  closed,  and  all  about  the  place  told 
the  tale  of  the  utter  ruin  which  invariably  follows  in  the 
train  of  rebellion.  This  victory  was  of  great  importance  in 
its  consequences,  and  materially  assisted  to  clear  the  great 
river  of  the  enemy's  gunboats. 

Every  rebel  stronghold  on  the  river  had  been  captured, 
except  Yicksburg.  The  possession  of  the  last  mentioned 
place  would  be  a  great  blow  to  the  power  of  the  Confed- 
eracy. Farragut  had  been  here  arrested  in  his  progress  by 
the  strong  fortifications,  which,  even  more  formidable  than 
ihose  of  Memphis,  stood  on  high  ground,  and  frowning  defi- 
ance on  the  Federal  fleet,  rendered  the  opening  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi a  task  of  infinite  difficulty.  Its  capture  by  the 
river,  it  will  be  found,  was  an  utter  impossibility;  and  such 
was  the  natural  strength  of  the  position,  that  as  Titus, 
on  beholding  the  great  defences  of  captured  Jerusalem, 
exclaimed  that  it  could  not  have  been  taken  without  the 
help  of  the  gods;  so,  in  standing  on  the  works  of  Vicks- 
burg,  some  months  after  the  national  emblem  waved  over 
it  in  victory,  the  conviction  was  forced  upon  the  writer, 
ill  at  to  attempt  it  by  water  was  the  boldest  of  essays,  and  to 
effect  its  capture  was  by  powerful  aid  from  Him  whose 
Providence  has  mercifully  guided  the  destinies  of  the 
American  people. 

About  the  same  time,  the  Federal  arms  were  victorious 
in  Tennessee.      Chattanooga,   one   hundred  and  forty-five 
miles  from  Nashville,  in  a  southeasterly  direction,  the  east 
em  terminus  of  the  Nashville  railroad  and  the  connection 
of  the  Georgia  railroads,  was  strongly  fortified  by  the  rebels. 
General  Mitchell  saw  the  importance  of  this  strong  position, 
as,  besides  its  other  advantages,  it  was  available  as  a  ship^ 
ping  point  for  Middle  and  Eastern  Tennessee.     He  accord 
iagly  resolved  to  take  it  by  assault,  and  entrusted  this  task 
to  Gjneral  James  S.  Negley.     The  risks  incurred  would  be 


186       GENERAL    MITCHELL   CAPTURES   CHATTANOOGA. 

fully  justified  in  making  the  attempt.  Being  situated  on 
the  Tennessee  river,  it  was  the  head  of  navigation  for  light 
craft,  commanded  East  Tennessee,  and  had  connection  with 
Virginia,  and  even  with  the  rebel  capital. 

General  Negley,  therefore,  in  execution  of  his  orders,  de- 
spatched Colonel  nambright  from  the  camp  of  Genera! 
Mitchell,  at  Eluntsville,  Alabama.  Moving  rapidly,  and 
dispersing,  on  his  way,  a  body  of  rebel  cavalry,  under  Gen 
eral  Adums,  on  the  7th  of  June  he  assaulted  the  enemy  V 
batteries  at  Chattanooga.  A  fierce  cannonading  was  kep', 
up  three  hours,  when  the  batteries  were  silenced.  The 
town  was  shelled  next  day,  and  the  rebels,  being  driven 
Lorn  all  their  works,  evacuated,  burning  the  bridge  across 
the  Tennessee  to  prevent  pursuit.  The  works  were  entirely 
destroyed.  Eighty  prisoners,  besides  a  large  number  of 
horses  and  cattle,  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  victors.  The 
Federal  loss  was  two  killed,  seven  wounded,  an.d  three 
missing. 

This  victory  wrested  from  the  enemy  the  advantages 
before  mentioned,  and  relieving  the  loyal  people  from  the 
heavy  yoke  of  the  rebels,  confirmed  their  attachment  to  the 
Government,  for  which  many  of  them  had  experienced 
great  suffering. 

An  expedition  was  sent  from  Memphis  on  the  12th  of 
June,  under  Colonel  Fitch,  which  sailed  up  the  White  river 
to  Jacksonport,  with  supplies  and  ammunition  for  the  army 
of  General  Curtis.  The  rebels  had  obstructed  the  river  at 
St.  Charles  City,  and  had  erected  two  batteries  of  seven 
guns,  supported  by  infantry.  Four  iron-clad  gunboats,  the 
flag-ship  Mound  City,  St.  Louis,  Lexington,  Conestoga,  and 
the  armed  tug  Spitfire,  with  three  transports,  composed  the 
expedition.  The  land  force  consisted  of  the  Forty-sixth  In- 
diana regiment.  The  capture  of  the  new  and  valuable  rebel 
steamer,  the  Clara  Dolsen,  and  the  reduction  of  the  works 
at  St.  Charles,  were  among  the  first  achievements  of  the  ex- 
pedition. The  fleet,  having  moved  up  the  river,  on  the  17th 
suddenly  came  upon  the  batteries  which  the  enemy  had 
erected  on  the  Arkansas  shore.  These  were  concealed  by 
brushwood,  and  their  position  could  only  be  ascertained  by 
the  shot,  which,  if  not  heavy,  with  precision  assaulted  the 
approaching  Federal  fleet.  The  casemates  of  the  St.  Louis 
were  struck  with  two  shots.  The  Mound  City,  being  first 


EXPEDITION   UP  THE  WHITE   RIVER.  187 

in  the  advance,  returned  the  fire  promptly,  which  was  soon 
followed  by  that  from  the  St.  Louis  and  Conestoga.  The 
Mound  City  passed  the  first  battery  and  moved  on,  when 
the  second  battery  opened  fire  on  her.  She  replied  with 
promptitude.  Colonel  Fitch,  meanwhile,  landed  five  hun- 
dred troops  from  the  transports  on  the  southern  shore,  for 
the  purpose  of  attacking  the  works  in  the  rear.  Signals 
were  sent  up  to  cease  firing,  and  it  was  determined  to  cap- 
ture the  forts  by  assault.  A  dreadful  accident  occurred  at 
this  crisis.  The  enemy  sent  a  ball  of  cylindrical  form,  and 
iron  flanges,  at  an  angle  of  ninety  degrees,  which  struck  the 
Mound  City  on  her  port  side  near  the  first  gun,  and  passing 
through  her  casemate,  cut  the  connecting  pipe  of  the  boilers 
The  rushing  hot  steam  filled  the  lower  part  of  the  vessel, 
into  which  a  hundred  and  seventy-five  of  the  crew  had 
crowded  ;  forty-five  died  immediately.  The  most  dreadful 
agony  from  the  hot  vapor  seized  the  rest,  and,  maddened 
with  terrible  pain,  eighty  of  the  crew  cast  themselves  into 
the  river.  The  rebels  inhumanly  fired  on  the  drowning  men 
who  struggled  to  reach  the  bank.  Scarcely  thirty-five  es- 
caped. Captain  Fry,  the  rebel  commander,  arranged  his 
sharpshooters  along  the  shore,  and  ordered  them  to  pick  off 
the  poor  victims  as  they  reached  land  ;  this  inhuman  order 
was  eagerly  obeyed.  The  Conestoga  lowered  her  boats  to 
rescue  the  survivors  ;  when  within  range,  they  were  fired  on 
by  the  enemy,  and  though  struck,  both  gigs  escaped,  and  suc- 
ceeded in  snatching  a  few  from  destruction.  The  annals  of 
history  furnish  few  parallels  to  such  diabolical  cruelty  as 
this. 

The  brave  soldiers  on  shore  had  reached  the  works,  and 
after  witnessing  this  sad  scene,  assaulted  the  enemy  in  a  bay- 
onet charge.  After  a  short  and  desperate  resistance,  the 
two  forts  were  carried,  and  the  Union  banner  erected  on  the 
works.  The  enemy  fled  to  St.  Charles.  Of  the  force  of  five 
hundred  men,  one  hundred  were  killed  and  wounded,  fifty 
captured,  and  the  remainder  escaped.  Captain  Fry  was 
among  the  captured ;  Colonel  Fitch  had  extreme  difficulty 
in  saving  him  from  the  indignant  soldiers.  The  expedition, 
except  the  calamity  to  the  Mound  City,  was  successful,  and 
accomplished  its  designs  by  reaching  its  destination. 

In  the  meantime,  Curtis,  in  Arkansas,  being  cut  off  from 
hia  base  of  opei  itions,  and  suosisting  on  the  country  through 


'88          LOYAL   TE.VNESSEANS — PARSON   BROWNLOW. 

which  he  marched,  was  advancing  in  his  slow  and  dangerous 
course.  Butler,  at  New  Orleans,  was  maintaining  his  rule 
with  great  rigor.  He  seized  large  amounts  of  money  found 
in  possession  of  the  English  and  French  consuls,  to  whom 
the  rebels  had  intrusted  it  for  safe  keeping.  Both  sexes 
were  hurried  off  to  Fort  Jackson,  when  necessity  required. 
The  Sheriff  of  the  city,  Pierre  Sould,  was  arrested  and  ssnt 
North ;  and  traitors  generally,  were  informed,  for  their 
edification,  that  there  was  but  one  alternative,  submission  or 
punishment. 

The  army  of  General  Halleck  was  divided  up  into  different 
army  corps,  to  hold  the  immense  territory  that  had  fallen  to 
the  Federals.  General  Buell  advanced  into  the  heart  of  the 
country,  with  a  large  force,  which  it  was  thought  had  East 
Tennessee  for  its  destination.  This  news  was  hailed  with 
great  joy  by  the  people,  who  in  that  portion  of  the  country 
were  loyal  to  the  Union,  and  suffered  much  in  consequence. 
From  the  outbreak  of  the  rebellion,  these  people,  though 
unaided,  had  never  bowed  to  rebel  sway.  The  iniquitous 
rebel  government  had  sent  guerilla  bands  among  them,  to 
destroy  all  who  expressed  a  love  for  the  old  flag.  The 
nation  heard  their  cries  with  sympathy,  but  could  not  now 
come  to  their  relief.  Hope,  in  the  midst  of  their  distress, 
still  animated  them.  The  men  flocked  to  the  standard  of 
the  Union,  and  some,  with  the  women  and  children,  found 
their  way,  through  much  danger,  to  an  asylum  in  the  North. 

Numbers  of  them  formed  themselves  into  loyal  bands, 
and  seeking  the  fastnesses  of  the  mountains,  determined  to 
act  on  the  defensive  till  aided.  They  frequently  destroyed 
railroad  bridges,  to  interrupt  the  rebel  transportation.  The 
gallows,  which  impended,  could  not  arrest  the  progress  of 
their  loyalty  ;  they  defied  all  that  rebel  malice  could  invent. 
Much  was  suffered,  and  borne  with  a  constancy  which  tested 
their  sincerity  in  those  days  of  darkness.  One,  and  chief  of 
these  loyalists,  was  Parson  Brownlow,  editor  of  the  Knox 
ville  Whig,  who  early  used  his  able  pen  against  treason, 
and  floated  the  Union  flag  over  his  office  He  threatened 
tD  shoot  any  man  who  attempted  to  pull  it  down,  and  when 
once,  in  his  absence,  a  rebel  officer  proceeded  to  do  so,  the 
parson's  daughter,  pistol  in  hand,  declared  that  if  he  touched 
the  flag  she  would  shoot  him  on  the  spot.  The  cloth  for 
awhile  protected  the  preacher.  His  office  at  last  was  closed 


MORGAN   OCCUPIES  CUMBERLAND   GAP.  189 

and  himself  imprisoned.  Threats  and  bribes  were  tried  upon 
him  in  vain.  He  was  then  allowed  to  go  North,  but  was 
detained  till,  attacked  by  a  dangerous  fever,  he  was  for  \\  eeka 
at  the  point  of  death.  Insults  and  threats  of  execution  were 
heaped  upon  him  in  this  forlorn  condition.  lie  maintained 
his  integrity,  and  even  wrote  his  dying  speech,  to  be  made 
at  the  gallows.  After  months  of  suffering  he  was  set  free, 
and  electrified  the  North  with  the  narrative  of  his  sufferings 
and  those  of  his  compatriots.  The  people  gave  him  an  en- 
thusiastic reception  wherever  he  went, -and  amid  blessings 
and  cheers,  alleviated  the  distresses  of  this  loyal  son  of  East 
Tennessee. 

At  Nashville,  Andrew  Johnson,  Governor  of  Tennessee, 
used  his  most  unwearied  efforts  to  calm  the  distractions 
under  which  it  labored.  Union  meetings  were  held,  and 
the  people  exhorted  by  him  to  come  back  to  their  alle- 
giance. Trade  was  opened  with  Nashville,  and  the  cotton 
and  tobacco  which  the  rebels  had  failed  to  destroy  found  a 
Northern  market.  Secessionists  and  spies  made  his  path 
difficult  and  perilous.  The  clergy  set  him  at  defiance,  and 
the  mayor  and  common  council  would  not  take  the  re- 
quired oath  of  office.  He  put  down  treason  however,  with  a 
firm  hand,  imprisoning  the  clergy  who  refused  to  take  the 
oath  of  allegiance. 

Meanwhile,  General  Morgan,  by  a  flank  movement,  took 
possession  of  Cumberland  Gap,  the  key  of  East  Tennessee. 
He  was  obliged  to  march  through  the  Pine  and  Cumberland 
mountains,  where  two  hundred  men  were  required  to  drag 
up  the  artillery.  The  astonished  rebels  abandoned  this 
strong  position  without  a  battle,  and  hopes  were  now  enter- 
tained that  deliverance  at  no  distant  day  would  visit  East 
Tennessee.  Thousands  of  hearts,  throbbing  with  patriotic 
impulses,  rejoiced  in  the  supremacy  of  the  Government  for 
which  they  suffered,  and  which  they  loved  so  well. 

Eventa  of  greater  magnitude  were  now  taking  place  in 
Virginia.  General  Fremont,  who  had  received  orders  to  cut 
off  the  retreat  of  "  Stonewall"  Jackson,  after  his  battle  with 
Banks  at  Winchester,  now  put  his  army  in  motion,  and  left 
Franklin  on  Sunday,  May  25th.  He  took  his  path  across 
the  Shenandoah  mountains,  and  led  his  troops,  with  the 
artillery  trains  and  wagons,  over  roads  almost  impassable 
Having  man  bed  one  hundred  miles  in  a  week,  he  arrived 


190  FREMONT  PURSUES   JACKSON. 

within  five  miles  of  Strasburg  on  the  Is*  of  June,  anl  oyer 
took  the  enemy,  who  were  in  full  retreat.  The  advance 
brigade,  under  Colonel  Cluseret.  was  assailed  by  the  enemy's 
artillery;  mounted  in  a  strong  position.  Fremont  hurried 
forward  the  main  column,  and  drew  up  his  men  in  line  of 
battle.  A  knowledge  that  a  strong  force  was  advancing 
fiom  Fredericksburg  up  the  Sbenandoah  to  cut  him  off,  ard 
that  Banks  also  was  hurrying  up  from  the  Potomac,  made 
it  prudent  for  the  rebel  commander  to  decline  measuriro 
Bwords  with  Fremont.  The  fatigue  of  the  troops,  and  a 
thunder-storm,  which  rendered  the  night  dark  as  pitch,  pre- 
vented pursuit.  In  the  morning,  however,  it  began.  Gen- 
eral Bayard,  of  McDowell's  advance,  moved  rapidly  forward 
with  cavalry  and  artillery.  The  enemy  made  a  stand  several 
times  with  artillery,  and  skirmishing  continued  during 
the  entire  day.  Fremont,  however,  pursued  with  great  ob- 
stinacy of  purpose,  giving  the  enemy  no  rest.  The  artillery 
roared  in  his  ears  daily  until  the  north  fork  of  the  Shenan- 
doah  was  reached.  Here  Jackson  crossed  hastily,  burning 
the  bridge  behind  him.  The  pontoon  train  was  hurried  up, 
but  a  heavy  rain  storm  descended,  and  the  mountain  tor- 
rents so  swelled  the  river  that  one  day  passed  before  the 
pursuit  could  be  continued.  Jackson  had  need  of  that  day 
to  rest  his  wearied  troops,  for  the  next  saw  Fremont  after 
him  again,  and  the  enemy  found  one  as  tireless  and  active 
as  himself,  famous  as  he  was  for  rapid  movements.  The 
pursuit  was  continued  through  Harrisonburg  on  the  5th, 
the  Federals  harassing  the  Confederate  rear  with  cavalry  and 
artillery.  On  the  evening  of  the  6th  of  June,  Fremont  en- 
tered the  city  with  his  wearied  troops. 

The  cavalry,  eight  hundred  strong,  under  Colonel  "W  incl- 
ham,  was  sent  on  a  reconnoissance  a  little  beyond  the  town.. 
Passing  through  at  a  quick  trot,  and  turning  to  the  left  at 
its  extreme  end,  the  colonel  advanced  through  the  fields  to 
h  hill  that  commanded  a  view  of  the  valley  beyond  it 
Skirmishers  sent  out  failed  to  bring  any  satisfactory  account 
of  the  position  of  the  enemy.  Advancing,  he  encountered 
the  rebel  cavalry  drawn  up  in  line  of  battle  across  the  road, 
and  extending  through  the  fields  to  the  woods  on  each  flank. 
He  sent  out  no  skirmishers  to  ascertain  the  force  against 
him,  or  if  infantry  protected  the  cavalry.  The  bugles  rung 
out  the  charge,  and  the  bold  squadrons  dashed  upon  th« 


FIGHT  AT   HARKISOSBURG.  191 

foe.  To  come  up  with  the  enemy,  a  large  wheat  field  well 
grown,  had  to  be  crossed,  and  here  several  hundred  rebel 
infantry  lay  in  ambush.  No  sooner  did  the  Federal  cavalry 
come  up  than  a  murderous  volley  threw^  the  advance  into 
contusion.  Colonel  Windham  had  his  horse  shot  under  him, 
and  was  captured.  Captain  Shell  man  was  killed  rallying 
the  Union  forces.  The  way  was  narrow,  and  no  efforts  of 
the  officers  could  restore  order  to  the  scattered  ranks — horses 
plunged,  riders  were  jostled,  and  no  line  could  reform. 
They  fell  back  in  wild  confusion  down  the  hill.  The  second 
squadron,  attempting  to  pass  the  rebel  infantry  and  come 
upon  the  cavalry  in  flank,  was  too  late  for  this  movement, 
and  the  entire  force  fell  back  in  confusion.  General  Bayard, 
wiih  four  companies  of  the  Bucktail  Tories  and  the  First 
Pennsylvania  cavalry,  together  with  Colonel  Cluseret,  with 
his  brigade,  composed  of  the  Sixtieth  Ohio  and  Eighth 
Virginia  infantry,  were  ordered  to  advance  and  hold  the 
further  end  of  the  town  and  its  approaches  in  that  direction. 
The  Bucktails  had  scarcely  taken  position  when  a  whole 
brigade  of  the  enemy  attacked  them.  They  held  their 
ground,  however,  manfrlly,  and  did  great  execution  with 
their  rifles,  until  nearly  half  their  number  fell  killed  or 
wounded.  Their  commander,  Colonel  Kane,  was  wounded 
and  taken  prisoner.  They  were  then  compelled  to  fail  back 
in  retreat.  The  rebels  suffered  severely  in  killed  and 
wounded.  Among  the  killed  was  the  famous  rebel  cavalry 
leader,  Colonel  Ashby,  of  Salem,  Virginia.  He  was  <*  hu- 
mane man,  and  a  great  loss  to  the  enemy.  Ti  3  writer  has 
seen  the  tears,  at  his  loss,  roll  down  the  hardy  cheeks  of 
Federal  soldiers  whom  he  had  rescued  from  the  murderous 
attempts  of  his  own  men.  The  Bucktails  lost  thirty-six 
killed,  thirty-six  wounded,  and  ten  missing,  doubtless  cap- 
tured. The  rest  of  the  Federal  troops  lost  one  hundred  and 
eighteen  killed,  four  hundred  and  fifty  wounded,  and  thirty 
missing.  Jackson  had  turned  oft'  to  the  left,  and  took  up  a 
strong  position  at  Cross  Keys. 

The  enemy  was  advantageously  posted  in  the  timber, 
having  chosen  his  own  position,  which  was  in  a  smaller 
circle  than  that  of  the  Federals.  His  troops  were  massed, 
and  consisted  of  his  whole  force. 

On  Sunday,  June  8th,  Fremont  advanced  to  attack  tho 
•aemy,  and  the  battle  corn-no  ced  at  11  o'clock.  G«neraJ 


192  BATTLE  OF  CROSS  KEYS. 

Milroy  commanded  the  centre,  General  Schenck  the  right, 
and  General  Stahl  the  left  of  the  Federal  line.  Colonel 
Cluseret,  with  his  brigade,  and  the  Garibaldi  Guard,  led  the 
advance.  The  line  moved  cautiously  and  steadily,  driving 
in  the  enemy's  skirmishers.  On  their  descent  into  an  open 
valley,  the  forces  of  the  enemy  lay  before  the  Union  forces 
who  were  concealed  in  the  wooded  hills  which  rose  in  their 
front.  The  Union  commander  watched  the  movements  of 
ths  opposing  columns  anxiously,  from  a  commanding  hill 
as  they  advanced  to  the  battle.  He  tried  to  find  out  tha 
position  of  the  enemy's  batteries,  but  no  shot  replied  to 
Schenck's  guns  as  they  shelled  the  woods.  Meanwhile, 
Cluseret's  brigade,  with  gleaming  bayonets,  had  disappeared 
behind  the  woods.  Soon  the  rattle  of  musketry,  and  smoke, 
rising  above  the  foliage,  told  Fremont  that  Cluseret  was 
driving  the  enemy  before  him  The  batteries  from  every 
high  hill  now  sent  forth  the  deadly  bolts,  and  the  artillery 
was  engaged  along  the  whole  line.  Jackson  knew  the  coun- 
try well,  and,  having  the  range,  he  worked  his  guns  with 
wonderful  precision. 

During  the  dread  artillery  fight,  Milroy  moved  his  troopa 
right  on  the  centre.  Stahl  and  Bohlen,  on  the  left,  sent 
from  the  woods  the  roar  of  their  guns,  and  the  crack  of 
musketry  blended  with  the  sound  jf  their  artillery.  A 
desperate  battle  was  fought  OL.  this  spot.  At  three  o'clock, 
Jackson  sent  a  large  body  of  infantry  to  take  Stahl  in  flank, 
which  compelled  the  latter  to  fall  back  in  a  more  open  posi- 
tion. Milroy,  also,  was  forced  to  retire.  Cluseret,  in  the 
woods  to  the  right,  held  his  ground  till  ordered  to  full  back. 
During  the  battle,  Fremont,  who,  surrounded  by  a  group 
of  officers,  watched  the  battle  from  an  eminence,  was  a  fair 
mark  for  the  enemy's  guns,  and  a  bursting  shell  at  last  ren- 
dered it  prudent  for  him  to  take  up  some  new  position 
Before  night,  the  battle  "had  ended,  and  Fremont  discovering 
that  the  enemy's  Dosition  could  not  be  carried,  refrained 
from  another  assault. 

The  Confederates,  in  this  battle,  lost  one  thousand  men 
and  the  Federals,  from  seven  hundred  to  eight  hundred. 
Jackson  crossed  the  south  branch  of  the  Shenandoah,  leav- 
ing his  dead  and  two  cannon  on  the  field. 

Fremont  was  led  into  the  error  that  Jackson  acknowledged 
a  defeat.  The  latt  >r  had  ascertained  that  Shields  wae  ap 


FIGHT   AT   PORT    REPUBLIC.  I9S 

preaching,  and  was  now  advancing  on  Port  Republic,  in  his 
rear.  He  prudently  left  the  battle  field  of  Cross  Keys,  a.id 
determined  to  fight  Shields  before  the  latter  could  combine  hie 
forces  with  those  of  Fremont.  The  people  in  the  vicinity  had 
kept  Jackson  well  posted  in  the  movements  of  our  army.  Tie 
hospital  at  Harrisonburg  was  full  of  wounded  and  sick  sol- 
diers. Most  of  them  were  sent  to  Mount  Jack^n.  A 
branch  hospital  in  the  town  remained,  and  was  captured  by 
a  troop  of  Ashby's  cavalry.  The  writer  was  one  of  the  sur- 
geons in  attendance;  and  it  is  just  to  say  that  the  ladies  of 
Harrisonburg  attended  and  supplied  the  poor  we  anded  tel- 
'ows  with  every  delicacy.  The  Union  prisoners,  both  there 
and  at  Staunton  and  Lynchburg,  to  both  of  which  places 
they  were  sent,  met  all  the  humanity  that  could  be  expected 
by  prisoners  of  war.  The  captivity  terminated  at  Richmond, 
and  was  marked  by  none  of  the  atrocities  which,  afterward, 
in  other  prisons,  disgraced  indelibly  the  leaders  of  the 
rebellion. 

McDowell  having  been  ordered  to  send  reinforcements  to 
Fremont,  despatched  General  James  Shields  up  the  Luray 
valley,  and  along  the  south  branch  of  the  Shenandoah  river 
10  cut  off  Jackson.  Another  column  moved  on  Strasburg 
Colonel  Carroll,  being  in  the  advance,  reached  Conrad's 
store  by  forced  marches.  lie  was  then  instructed  to  move 
on  Port  Republic,  distant  about  thirty-five  miles.  Heavy 
rains  and  swollen  streams  placed  it  beyond  his  power  to  ad- 
vance till  the  7th,  when,  with  scarcely  one  thousand  infantry, 
six  pieces  of  artillery,  and  one  hundred  and  fifty  cavalry,  he 
moved  rapidly,  hoping  to  arrive  and  destroy  the  bridge  at 
that  place  before  Jackson  could  come  up.  He  reached  it  on 
the  8th  (Sunday),  while  Fremont  was  fighting  the  battle  of 
Cross  Keys,  and  drove  out  the  small'  body  of  the  enemy 
found  there.  Having  planted  two  guns  to  protect  his  troops 
from  attack  till  the  main  body  arrived,  he  was  suddenly 
assailed  by  three  infantry  regiments,  eighteen  pieces  of  ar 
tilleiy,  and  a  large  force  of  cavalry.  His  instructions  b_u 
directed  him  to  advance  up  to  Waynesboro,  and  block  up 
Jackson's  way,  so  that  the  cor«bined  troops  of  Fremont  and 
McDowell  might  destroy  thr  enemy.  An  overpowering 
force  now,  compelled  him  to  retreat,  leaving  no  tim,-  i'cr  the 
destruction  of  the  bridge.  He  retired,  slcwiy,  t.vo  and  a 
half  miles,  and  took  up  a  position  where  General  Tylor.  with 
17 


194  ESCAPE   OF  JACKSON. 

two  thousand  men,  soon  joined  him.  Jackson,  having 
eluded  Fremont,  crossed  the  river  without  loss,  and  ad- 
vanced upon  the  combined  forces  of  the  Federals.  While 
Fremont  supposed  himself  in  full  pursuit,  this  wily  leader 
Jackson,  fortunate  in  the  heavy  rains,  which  kept  Carroll 
from  destroying  the  bridge  c  rer  which  he  now  marched, 
was  breaking  up  the  force  sent  against  trim.  Tyler  and 
Carroll,  for  five  hours,  fought  with  great  gallantry;  and  the 
Seventh  Indiana  regiment,  in  terrible  charges,  almost  anni- 
hiUted  the  Seventh  Louisiana.  Carroll  led  three  successful 
charges,  with  great  bravery.  The  fight  was  bloody,  and 
almost  hand  to  hand.  The  artillery  poured  grape  and  can- 
ister into  the  enemy's  closed  ranks,  and  made  fearful  gaps, 
witb  great  slaughter.  The  superior  numbers  of  the  enemy 
enabled  him  to  outflank  the  gallant  Union  troops,  and  they 
were  forced,  reluctantly,  to  retire.  The  battle  of  Port  Be- 
public  was  a  desperate  one,  for  Jackson  could  take  no 
time  to  move  with  caution.  He  knew  from  the  first  that 
his  movements  must  be  with  great  celerity.  The  safety  of 
his  retreat  depended  on  swift,  prolonged  marches,  and  sud- 
den attacks.  lie  had  turned  from  Fremont  to  Shields,  and 
attacked  a  portion  before  the  remainder  of  the  troops  could 
come  up.  Now  he  eluded  all  pursuit,  and  had  arrived 
where  he  could  receive  any  amount  of  reinforcements. 
With  scarcely  twenty  thousand  men,  he  had  driven  Banks 
io  the  Potomac;  held  his  own  with  Fremont  and  McDowell; 
defeated  Shields,  with  loss;  and,  while  eighty  thousand 
troops  were  within  striking  distance,  escaped  with  his  tro- 
phies and  spoils  in  safety.  He  had  also  done  what  was  of 
no  less  importance  to  the  rebel  cause,  prevented  the  rein- 
forcement of  AfcGkllan.  This  great  leader  outgeneralled  all 
our  commanders,  and  now  shone  as  a  star  of  hope  to  the 
rebel  army,  himself  of  more  value  than  many  hosts. 

Jackson's  escape  had  been  deemed  impossible.  Great 
vras  therefore  the  public  disappointment.  The  scapegoat 
must  be  found,  on  whose  devoted  head  to  visit  all  these 
disasters.  Consequently,  McDowell,  Shields,  Carroll  and 
Fremont,  each  had  his  share  of  blame.  How  the  rebel  leader, 
wily  as  ue  was,  should  manage  to  escape  all  the  toils  laid  for 
him  seems  a  mystery,  whose  solution  is  perhaps  best  found 
in  the  fact  that  he  was  perfectly  acquainted  with  the  min- 
utest movements  and  dispositions  of  the  Unoin  forces,  and 
oould  lay  all  his  pinna  with  unerring  certainty. 


FREMONT  SUPERSEDED  BY  POPE.         196 

Some  remedies  are  worse  than  the  disease  itself.  Tb.« 
President  had  made  a  mistake  in  creating  independent 
corps,  which  could  only  act  under  orders  from  Washington. 
He  resolved  to  apply  a  cure.  And,  in  consultation  with 
General  Scott,  at  West  Point,  he  came  to  the  conclusion 
tlmt  the  consolidation  of  the  Department  of  Virginia,  under 
Gr  3neral  John  Pope,  was  the  best  step  that  could  be  made 
inder  the  circumstances.  That  General  Pope  was  an  officer 
>f  great  executive  capacity,  energy,  and  bravery,  several 
.veil  managed  and  successful  campaigns  had  proved.  The 
appointment  gave  general  satisfaction,  which,  however,  was 
not  participated  in  by  General  Fremont,  who  declined  to 
serve  under  an  officer  who  had  been  his  subordinate  in 
Missouri.  He  therefore  resigned  his  position,  and  retired 
from  the  army.  Whether  such  a  course,  in  the  circumstances 
of  the  nation  at  that  particular  time,  was  patriotic,  it  is  not 
attempted  here  to  decide.  Be  that  as  it  may,  the  loss  of  an 
officer  of  Fremont's  ability  and  indomitable  energy,  was  no 
advantage  to  the  struggling  country.  His  friends  could 
hardly  apologize  for  such  a  step,  and  his  enemies  loudly 
condemned  it.  When  General  Pope  assumed  the  command, 
his  address  to  the  army  was  not  without  forebodings  to  men 
of  enlarged  military  experiences.  It  cast  reflections  on  his 
predecessors.  "  I  hear,"  said  he,  "  of  taking  strong  positions 
and  holding  them,  of  lines  of  retreat,  and  of  bases  of  sup- 
plies ;  let  us  discard  such  ideas.  Let  us  study  the  probable 
line  of  retreat  of  our  opponents,  and  leave  our  own  to  take 
care  of  themselves." 

This  want  of  respect  for  military  rules,  though  ominoua 
of  'disaster,  was  received  by  the  public  and  the  press  with 
great  marks  of  approbation,  while  military  men  became 
somewhat  grave.  While  affairs  at  Washington  were  thus 
growing  into  a  state  of  confusion  not  easily  recovered,  the 
Union  forces  before  Charleston  met  with  a  severe  disaster. 
In  the  early  part  of  May.  General  Benham,  who  commanded 
ho  northern  department  of  the  South,  was  induced  to  believe 
that  Charleston  could  be  reached  by  the  Stono  river.  He 
formed  the  plan  of  concentrating  the  Union  troops  on  James 
island,  taking  Fort  Johnston,  and  thence,  being  in  the  rear  of 
the  enemy's  batteries,  of  marching  on  Charleston.  The  plfcn 
met  the  approbation  of  Hunter,  and  the  two  generals  en 
the  2d  left  Hilton  Head,  with  some  troops  under  Greceral 


198  BATTLE    OF   JAMES    .SLAND. 

Stevens,  and  arriving  in  the  Stono  river  in  the  afternoon. 
landed  at  "  Old  Battery."  As  transportation  could  not  be 
had,  most  of  the  troops  were  sent  to  the  Edisto  river,  to  be 
marched  across  St.  John's  island.  Their  arrival  was  ex- 
pected at  the  Stono  river  the  day  following.  From  want  of 
ferry-boats,  and  various  delays,  they  arrived  only  on  the  5th, 
and  did  not  cross  over  to  James  island  until  the  9th.  Fort 
Johnston  contained  but  a  feeble  garrison,  and  had  the  mis- 
chance to  the  Federals  not  happened,  would  doubtless  have 
been  taken  Stephens,  meanwhile,  had  been  skirmishing 
with  the  enemy,  and  captured  a  battery  of  iron  carronades, 
and  twenty  prisoners.  On  the  10th,  the  rebels  were  erect- 
ing a  fort  at  Secessionville,  commanding  General  Wright's 
camp,  a  part  of  Stevens',  and  the  gunboats  on  the  Stono.  A 
reconnoissance  in  force  next  morning,  and  a  sudden  attack 
to  capture  the  fort,  were  determined  on.  An  attack  on  the 
Union  lines  near  Wright's  camp,  in  the  afternoon,  however, 
caused  the  projected  reconnoissance  to  be  given  up,  and  a 
plan  was  devised  to  reduce  the  fort  by  artillery.  Hunter 
now  left,  with  the  orders  not  to  advance  on  Charleston  or  at- 
tack Fort  Johnson  "  until  reinforced  or  ordered  from  head- 
quarters, but  that  the  camps  should  be  made  sure,  and  in 
trenched."  Benham,  finding  that  the  bombardment  did  not 
succeed,  and  hearing  from  deserters  that  the  fort  was  defended 
by  eight  hundred  men  and  six  guns,  and  that  the  whole 
force  on  the  island  was  twelve  thousand  men,  resolved  upon 
an  assault.  The  hour  appointed  was  four  o'clock  on  the 
morning  of  the  16th.  General  Stevens,  with  four  thousand 
men,  was  to  mass  suddenly  on  the  right  of  the  works,  and 
the  left  was  to  be  attacked  simultaneously  by  three  thou- 
sand men,  under  General  Williams.  The  first  to  approach 
i,he  works  was  the  Eighth  Michigan  regiment,  four  hundred 
men,  moving  up  at  double-quick.  They  were  seen  advanc- 
ing by  the  enemy,  and  were  mowed  down  with  grape 
and  canister.  This  heroic  band  moved  forward,  though 
losing  half  its  number,  but  being  without  support  was  com- 
pelled to  fall  back.  The  Seventy-ninth  New  York  (High- 
landers) formed  in  a  cotton  field,  and  advanced  in  front  of 
the  guns.  Not  a  shot  was  fired  till  they  came  within  a 
thousand  yards,  when  all  the  guns  rained  on  them  a  terrible 
Cre  of  grape  and  canister.  The  regiment  closed  its  broken 
ranks,  and  moved  swiftly,  under  a  deadly  fire,  til)  it  reached 


KEPCLSE    OF   THB    UNION    FORCES.  191 

the  fort.  Their  brave  leader,  Lieutenant  Morrison,  animat 
ing  his  men,  leaped  on  the  ramparts,  and  some,  in  following 
him,  were  picked  off  by  sharpshooters.  Finally,  he  receiveo 
a  wound  in  the  head  and  was  borne  to  the  rear.  A  por- 
tion of  the  regiment  now  filed  to  the  right,  another  part 
held  its  ground  in  front,  and  the  right  wing,  in  a  shel- 
tered position,  poured  such  an  effectual  fire  as  silenced  the 
guns.  They  were  falling  fast,  and  looked  for  the  supports, 
which,  had  they  come  up,  the  fort  would  have  been  taken. 
They  were  ordered  to  fall  back,  and  obeyed  with  reluctance, 
leaving  half  their  brave  comrades  dead  or  wounded  behind 
them.  The  Seventh  Connecticut,  which  came  up  later,  met 
the  fate  of  the  other  two  regiments.  Williams'  division 
advanced  and  fought  well,  but  did  not  reach  the  works. 
The  Federal  loss  was  five  hundred  killed  and  wounded. 
Three  fifthi  of  the  casualties  were  in  the  Michigan  and 
Seventy-ninth  llighland  regiments.  This  disaster  gave 
great  dissatisfaction.  General  Benham  was  arrested,  sent 
home,  and  deprived  of  his  rank.  Stevens  blamed  him,  and 
he  in  turn  threw  the  blame  on  Stevens  for  not  bringing  up 
the  supports,  thus  allowing  the  battle  to  be  lost.  The  mor 
tification  was  the  greater,  as  it  was  before  Charleston. 


CHAPTEK  XX. 

JUNK,  1862. 

'•UK  ARMY  BEFORE  RICHMOND — MCCLELLAN's  ADDRESS— MCOALL  8KNT  T« 
HIS  SUPPORT — TOE  REBEL  GENERAL  STUART  MARKS  A  RAID  ROUND  TH8 
WHOLE  UNION  ARMY — ROBERT  E.  LEE,  REBEL  tOMMANDER-IN-CHIEK — 
HIS  PLANS — BATTLES  OP  OAK  GROVE,  MECHANICS  V1LLK,  GAINKS*  MILL — 
MCCLELLAN'S  DESPATCH. 

THE  battle  of  Fair  Oaks  had  begun  on  the  31st  day  of 
May,  and  ended  the  next  day,  June  1st.  It  retarded  the 
Federal  advance,  but  made  no  change  in  the  plans  of 
McClellan.  The  delay  was  more  on  account  of  the  flood, 
which  swelled  the  Chickahominy,  than  of  the  battle  itself. 
Bridges  were  to  be  reconstructed,  and  timbers  to  be  dragged, 
with  much  labor,  over  the  miry  ground.  The  flood  had 
caused  the  men  much  suffering,  and  now  the  great  heat  of 
the  sun  upon  the  damp  earth,  produced  malarious  diseases, 
which  made  the  hardships  and  privations  more  difficult  to 
endure,  and  cost  the  Federals  more  valuable  lives,  during 
the  next  few  weeks,  than  all  the  dangers  of  the  field  of  bat- 
tle. The  hope  of  taking  Richmond  still  buoyed  up 
McClellan  and  his  brave  troops,  in  all  the  difficulties  and 
discouragements  of  their  trying  situation.  About  this  time 
he  issued  the  following  inspiring  address  to  animate  the 

spirit  of  his  troops. 

*  •'- 

"HEAD-QUARTERS  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC,        ) 

CAMP  NEAR  NEW  BRIDGE,  VA.,  [- 

June  2d,  1861.      ) 

"SOLDIERS  OF  THE  ARMY  or  THE  POTOMAC: — I  have 
fulfilled  at  least  a  part  of  my  promise  to  you.  You  are  now 
face  to  face  with  the  rebels,  who  are  held  at  bay  in  front  of 
the  capital.  The  final  and  decisive  battle  is  at  hand.  Un- 
less you  belie  your  past  history,  the  result  cannot  be,  for  a 
moment,  doubtful.  If  the  troops  who  labored  so  faithfully, 
and  fought  so  gallantly  at  Yorktown,  and  who  so  bravely 
won  the  hard  fights  at  ^yilliamsburg,  \Yest  Point,  Hanover 
(198) 


MCCLELLAN  S    ADDRESS.  199 

Court  House,  and  Fair  Oaks,  now  prove  worthy  of  their  an- 
tecedents, the  victory  is  surely  ours. 

"The  events  of  every  day  prove  your  superiority 
Wherever  you  have  met  the  enemy  you  have  beaten  him. 
Wherever  you  have  used  the  bayonet,  he  has  given  way  in 
panic  and  disorder.  I  ask  of  you  now  one  last  crowning 
effort.  The  enemy  has  staked  his  all  on  tL:;  issue  of  the 
coining  battle.  Let  us  meet  him,  and  crush  him  here,  in 
the  very  centre  of  the  rebellion. 

"Soldiers,  I  will  be  with  you  in  this  battle,  and  share  its 
dangers  with  you.  Our  confidence  in  each  other  is  now 
founded  upon  the  past.  Let  us  strike  the  blow  which  is  tc 
restore  peace  and  union  to  this  distracted  land.  Upon 
your  valor,  discipline,  and  mutual  confidence,  the  result 
depends. 

"(Signed),  GEO.  B.  McCLELLAN. 

"  Major  general  Commanding? 

The  confidence  of  the  commander  in  the  result  of  the 
operations  of  the  army  before  Richmond  was  unbounded, 
and  nothing  yet  happened  to  weaken  it.  Burnside  was 
ready  below  to  move  on  the  enemy  in  the  rear,  and  finish 
up  the  anticipated  defeat  of  the  rebel  forces.  The  idea  of 
abandoning  the  matured  plan  of  the  campaign,  and  starting 
the  war  anew,  had  never  entered  into  the  calculations  of  any 
one  in  that  vast  host. 

The  report  was  rife  in  camp,  that  McDowell  had  now 
irrived  at  Hanover  Court  House.  As  before  intimated,  the 
rebels  were  fully  aware  of  the  movements  of  the  Union 
arrny.  The  whole  plan  of  the  campain  against  Biohmond 
was  better  known  there  than  to  the  people  of  the  Ncitli. 
IFad  the  plan  been  carried  out,  and  McDowell  reiufoiced 
McClellan,  there  is  little  doubt  that  the  Federal  arms  would 
have  been  successful.  The  disasters  in  the  Sh^o-nndcah 
valley,  as  b'  -'ore  related,  frightened  the  Government  at 
Washington  and  caused  the  withdrawal  of  the  troops  who 
were  so  much  needed  at  this  juncture  to  reinforce  the  army 
on  which  so  much  depended.  McClellan,  deprived  of  sup- 
port, hesitated  at  the  very  gates  of  Richmond.  The  army 
was  expected  to  take  the  city ;  and  a  few  thousands  of  fresh 
trooprf  would,  in  all  human  probability,  have  rendered  its 
capture  certain  To  the  midst  of  the  hot  weather  of  sum* 


200    REBEL  CAVALRY   RAID    UNDER   GENERAL  STUART. 

mer,  though  the  malaria  of  the  pestilential  swamps  waa 
rapidly  thinning  the  ranks,  yet  the  army  kept  up  its  spirits. 
Its  hopes  had  been  four  times  elevated  to  the  highest  de- 
gree, and  as  often  depressed.  The  army  had  now,  by  losses 
in  battle,  and  sickness,  and  furloughs,  dwindled  down  to 
less  than  one  hundred  thousand  men.  General  McCall, 
with  the  Pennsylvania  Reserves,  a  body  of  eleven  thousand 
men,  being  now  sent  as  reinforcements,  made  the  number  a 
little  over  one  hundred  thousand.  Of  these,  twenty  thousand 
would  be  required  to  guard  the  communications  with  the 
White  llouse,  leaving  about  eighty  thousand  to  attack  the 
enemy,  who  were  defended  by  the  powerful  defences  of  the 
rebel  capital.  The  bridges  were  all  ready  by  the  10th,  and 
as  soon  as  the  forces  of  McDowell  should  appear,  the  left 
wing  was  ready  to  advance. 

The  cavalry  raid  by  which  General  J.  E.  B.  Stuart,  with  some 
fifteen  hundred  men,  made  the  circuit  of  the  Union  army,  in 
order  to  find  out  the  disposition  and  number  of  the  troops 
between  the  main  body  and  the  White  House,  on  the  Pa- 
munkey,  started  on  the  12th  from  Richmond.  The  march 
began  at  daylight  along  the  Charlotteville  turnpike,  and 
continued  to  Ashland,  where  a  halt  was  made  for  the  night. 
Continuing  on  his  route,  early  next  morning  the  rebel 
eader  drove  in  the  Union  cavalry  pickets  on  the  main  body, 
near  Hanover  Court  House.  The  cavalry  made  a  stand  aa 
the  Confederates  approached,  and  the  Union  commander 
caused  the  charge  to  be  sounded,  but  was  shamefully  aban- 
doned by  his  rncn/  who  turned  and  fled.  The  enemy  moved 
rapidly  through  the  deserted  camp,  and  encountered  another 
body  of  Union  troops,  advancing  in  good  order.  They  were 
1  riven  back  by  a  destructive  volley,  but  came  on  again,  in 
gallant  style,  at  the  sound  of  the  bugle.  The  shock  of  the 
two  columns  was  so  violent  that  the  front  ranks  of  both 
were  unhorsed.  Latane,  the  rebel  commander,  and  the 
leader  of  the  Union  force  sucountered.  The  former  cleft  the 
cap  of  the  Union  leader,  who  discharged  his  pistol,  and  the 
bullet  taking  effect  in  the  rebel's  side,  he  instantly  expired. 
The  brave  Union  commander  was  cut  down  in  pursuing  a 
rebel ;  and  the  Union  forces,  overpowered  by  numbers, 
retired.  On  their  way,  at  Putney's  Landing,  the  enemj 
burnt  two  out  of  three  schooners,  quartermasters'  stares,  etc. 
und  captured  some  prisoners  and  horses.  AtTunstall's  aia 


REBEL   CAVALRY    RAID    UNDER   GENERAL   STUART.    2f>l 

lion,  a  train  of  cars,  with  five  hundred  passengers,  was 
nearly  captured ;  but  the  engineer  put  on  steam,  and  returned 
to  the  White  House  Of  the  passengers  who  jumped  off, 
and  made  for  the  woods,  fourteen  were  killed  and 
wounded. 

The  Ninety-third  New  York  regiment,  stationed  near  the 
White  House,  and  all  the  available  forces  in  the  vicinity 
were  there  collected.  The  news  had  gone  ir  different  Jii  ec 
tions,  and  the  daring  rebel  chief  saw  that  the  clouds  around 
him  portended  a  storm.  The  way  behind  him  was  effec- 
tually closed,  and,  from  sheer  desperation,  he  formed  the 
bold  design  of  making  the  compass  of  the  entire  Union 
army,  and  trusting  to  fortune  to  reconduct  him  across  the 
Chickahominy.  Arrived  at  New  Kent,  half  the  semicircle 
which  the  Union  army  formed  around  Richmond  was  now 
completed.  Proceeding,  the  water  was  found  fifteen  feet 
deep  at  "  Blind  Ford,"  which  it  was  necessary  for  them  to 
cross.  The  country  around  swarmed  with  troops.  It  was 
now  dark.  A  desperate  attempt — in  which  only  fifty  suc- 
ceeded— was  made  to  swim  the  horses  across.  The  joyful 
information  that  there  was  a  bridge  a  little  further  up 
stream,  brought  by  the  friendly  residents  of  the  neighbor- 
hood, inspired  the  raiders  with  hope.  Timber  was  felled 
and  laid  on  the  bridge,  which  had  been  partly  destroyed. 
They  were  within  the  Federal  lines  at  day-dawn,  and,  un- 
molested, proceeded  along  Charles  City  road.  They  reached 
their  own  pickets,  and  were  now  safe.  The  rebels,  in  tbia 
raid,  killed  four  Unionists,  wounded  thirty,  and  captured 
about  one  hundred,  together  with  three  hundred  thousand 
dollars'  worth  of  property.  When  the  excitement  produced 
by  this  raid  had  somewhat  cooled  down,  affairs  went  on  as 
before,  with  occasional  skirmishes  and  reconnoissances.  The 
people  of  Richmond  could  read  the  word  "  Union"  on  tte 
balloon  which  occasionally  ascended  near  that  city,  and  pre 
parations  for  a  great  forthcoming  struggle  were  steadily 
going  forward. 

The  enemy's  camps  were  bustle  and  activity,  the  precur 
sor  of  some  great  movement.  The  Federal  forces,  as  the 
sound  of  cannonading  was  heard  from  the  James,  indulged 
the  pleasing  hope  that  the  gunboats  were  going  up  the  river 
to  the  rebel  capital.  Rumors  of  the  advance  of  Burnside  on 
Fort  Darling  were  rife  in  csmp.  All  these  hopes  were  des- 
tined, in  a  little  while,  to  pass  away 


202  GENERAL    \OBEPT   E.    LET-, —  MIS    PLANS. 

Genera!  Kobert  E.  Lee  had  now  become  the  Confederate 
-ommander-in-chief.  Seeing  the  movement  of"  Stonewall" 
Jackson,  in  the  Shenandoah  valley,  successful,  and  no  re- 
inforcements augmenting  the  Union  army  before  Richmond, 
he  formed  the  design  of  concentrating  all  the  forces  which 
he  could  muster  upon  McClellan,  and  bringing,  at  once, 
ii  jsuuction  to  the  Union  army,  and  deliverance  to  the 
v  :,ieged  city. 

The  two  armies,  all  this  time,  had  been  fortifying  with 
gie-it  care.  A  iouble  row  of  earthworks  stood  front  to  front, 
and  in  such  proximity  that  no  further  advance  could  be 
made  without  a  battle.  Heavy  guns  had  come  up  from 
Yorktown.  and  preparations  were  hurried  forward  which 
betokened  a  regular  siege.  Between  the  Union  fortifica- 
tions and  the  enemy  there  was  a  piece  of  woods,  of  which 
MsClellan  wished  to  get  possession  before  he  attempted  an 
onward  movement.  He  made  his  arrangements  on  Tuesday 
night,  the  24th,  to  take  it  next  morning.  This  might  cause 
a  genera1  engagement.  The  ground  was  that  which  a  part 
of  Casey's  division  had  occupied  a  month  before,  and  lay 
along  the  Williamsburg  road.  On  the  right,  between  this 
road  and  the  railroad,  was  Heintzelman's  division,  with 
Sumner  still  further  to  the  right.  Some  distance  in  the 
rear,  Sickles'  Excels:.cr  division  extended  along  the  left  of 
the  road,  joined  by  Kearney's  division.  The  brigades  were 
drawn  up  in  line  of  battle  at  seven  o'clock  in  the  morning;  and 
the  First  Massachusetts,  supported  by  the  Second  New  Hamp- 
shire and  Twenty-sixth  Pennsylvania,  was  sent  out  as  skir- 
mishers. The  Eleventh  Massachusetts  was  held  as  a  reserve 
to  these  regiments.  Beyond  the  woods,  which  hid  the  di- 
'ision  of  Heintzelman  from  the  foe,  there  was  a  swamp ;  a 
peach  orchard,  at  its  further  extremity,  was  nearly  opposite 
.tlocker's  position.  Rifle  pits  lay  near  this  orchard,  and 
ai  «o  or-.  Lhe  other  side  of  the  road  near  Kearney's  encamp- 
ment Kearney  took  the  rifle  pits  with  little  difficulty. 
The  contest  on  the  other  side  of  the  road  was  not  so  easy. 
Hooker's  advance  regiment  cleared  the  woods  and  forced 
the  enemy  back  into  the  swamp.  It  was  an  affair  of  in- 
fantry alone,  as  no  artillery  could  be  used  except  in  the  rear. 
The  swamp  being  at  length  cleared,  and  the  rest  of  the 
troops  being  now  up,  tha  ertire  force  ad'/anced  through  the 
jpe*oh  orchard  and  drove  e,ae  <->.m>.niy  before  them.  On  the 


BATTLE     )F   OAK    GROVE.  208 

open  field,  commanded  by  the  rifle  pits,  the  Union  troops 
fought  at  great  disadvantage  in  the  bloody  encounter  which 
took  place,  the  rifle  pits  protecting  the  enemy.  The  Fed- 
erals here  lost  three  to  ono,  but  they  held  on  with  great 
gallantry,  and  delivered  their  fire  with  coolness  and  pre- 
cision. Seeing  Kearney  now  bringing  up  his  division,  tht 
enemy  broke  and  fled,  and  the  Union  troops  took  possession 
of  the  rifle  pits,  holding  them  until  ordered  to  fall  back 
There  was  now  a  cessation  till  eleven  o'clock.  McClellan  al 
that  hour  appearing  on  the  field,  was  received  with  great 
enthusiasm  by  the  troops.  He  took  up  his  position  near 
the  ground  which  had  been  Casey's  headquarters  previous 
to  the  battle  of  Fair  Oaks,  the  first  day  of  which  is  usually 
known  as  the  battle  of  Seven  Pines. 

The  Union  commander  now  directed  all  the  operations 
till  the  close  of  the  action. 

A  battery  on  the  railroad  began  to  shell  the  woods  and 
swamp,  and  then  the  troops  were  ordered  to  advance  and 
again  take  the  rifle  pits.  Meantime,  Couch's  division,  led 
by  General  Palmer,  was  sent  to  the  front  to  reinforce 
Hooker.  It  moved  up  in  fine  order.  Captain  Dusenberry  led 
up  two  Napoleon  guns  of  De  Kussey's  battery,  and  succeeded, 
with  great  difficulty,  in  getting  them  across  the  swamp. 
On  being  placed  in  position,  the  rebels  attempted  their  cap- 
ture, but  were  prevented  by  a  powerful  force  which  rushed 
to  support  them.  The  whole  force  now  moved  foward  on 
the  open  field.  At  five  o'clock  the  battle  seemed  over,  when 
the  massed  foe  came  swarming  upon  Kearney  in  the  rifle 
pits.  The  men,  <  vercome  by  the  sudden  attack,  retired,  and 
made  an  obstinute  stand  at  the  margin  of  the  woods,  thus 
checking  the  enemy's  further  advance.  Eepeated  efforts  to 
dislodge  them  were  in  vain,  and,  recoiling  from  the  tremen- 
dous volleys,  the  Confederates  at  last  abandoned  the  field; 
letting  their  dead  behind  them.  That  night  the  pickets  of 
Hooker  were  posted  within  five  miles  of  Kichmond.  The 
rebels  during  the  night  kept  up  the  attack  at  different 
points,  and,  driving  in  the  pickets,  made  an  onset  on  the 
working  parties,  when  the  spade  was  quickly  changed  for 
the  musket. 

Thus  ended  what  is  known  as  the  battle  of  Oak  Grove, 
fought  on  June  25th,  and  initiating  the  seven  days'  fight. 
The  Federal  loss  m  this  battle  was  two  hundred  killed  and 


204  CHANGE   OS    BASE   DECIDED   ON. 

wounded.  The  ground  in  front  of  the  earthworks  waa 
gained.  The  despatch  of  MoClellan,  "We  have  gained 
our  point  fully,11  seemed  to  justify  the  idea  that  he  haci 
arranged  all  things  for  the  capture  of  Richmond,  and  the 
North  was  preparing  to  celebrate  the  anticipated  victory 
on  the  4th  of  July,  the  anniversary  of  its  independence. 

It  now  became  necessary  to  effect  a  change  in  the  Union 
base  of  operations,  owing  to  the  want  of  security  of  '.ho 
supplies  at  the  White  House.  The  Richmond  and  York 
railroad  rendered  it  easy  for  the  enemy  to  interrupt  the 
communications.  Their  attacks  had  lately  increased  in  fre- 
quency and  ferocity,  and  an  entire  division  of  troops  waa 
required  constantly  to  protect  the  communications  and  sup- 
plies. The  difficulty  was  enhanced  by  the  recent  losses  of 
the  Federal  army,  and  the  superiority  of  the  rebel  forces, 
increased  by  a  portion  of  Beauregard's  troops  from  Corinth, 
and  "  Stonewall"  Jackson's  from  the  Shenandoah.  These 
considerations  determined  the  course  of  McClellan.  He 
saw  the  mighty  fabric  erected  at  so  much  cost  crumbling  to 
ruin.  A  change  of  base  must  be  made  to  Harrison's  Land- 
ing, on  the  James  river.  This  was  the  only  course  to  be 
adopted  without  admitting  defeat.  The  march  must  be 
made  in  the  presence  of  a  numerous  and  exultant  enemy. 
It  would  be  six  miles  for  the  left,  and  twenty  for  the  right 
wing.  The  supplies  for  the  army  could  then  be  brought 
up  the  James  guarded  by  the  gunboats.  The  order  for  re- 
moval was  issued  on  or  about  the  24th  of  June,  and  was 
concealed  as  well  as  possible.  McClellan  acted  upon  the 
supposition  that  the  enemy  would  not  discover  his  plan  be- 
fore he  would  be  in  a  position  to  defeat  their  movements. 
To  make  the  intended  change  with  success,  it  would  not  be 
possible  to  withdraw  the  line  of  battle  from  the  front  with 
out  fighting.  The  drama  was  begun  in  the  first  act  with 
iho  fight  at  Oak  Grove,  Wednesday,  June  25th,  and  con 
tinued  in  a  series  of  acts  until  the  army  reached  Harrison  c 
Landing,  on  Wednesday,  2d  of  July.  A  more  perilous  eu- 
terprise,  and  more  gallant  fighting  on  a  retreat,  it  has  never 
been  the  province  of  the  historian  to  describe.  What  an 
immense  caravan  of  army  wagons,  ambulances,  and  artillery 
trains  must  be  moved  forward!  If  this  were  a  difficult 
matter  in  itself,  how  much  was  it  increased  by  the  fact,  that, 
loaded  as  they  were,  all  these  trains  must  pursue  but  one 


BATTLE   OP   MECHANICSVILLE.  205 

narrow  road.  This  road  runs  nearly  due  south  from  the 
Williamsburg  road,  through  White  Oak  swamp,  to  the 
Charles  City  road,  into  which  it  debouches,  eight  miles  from 
Turkey  Bend,  on  the  James.  The  course  then  lay  up  the 
atter  road,  toward  Richmond,  to  a  point  where  it  struck  a 
ittle  southwest  by  the  Quaker  road.  This  latter  ended  in 
the  New  Market  road,  leading  from  Richmond.  The  Jamca 
river  and  Malvern  Hill  were  but  a  little  south.  Though, 
with  but  slight  exception,  there  was  but  one  road,  it  had 
the  advantage  of  running  through  White  Oak  swamp, 
which  would  in  some  degree  be  a  protection  to  the  flanks. 
The  road  itself,  though  but  a  narrow  funnel  for  such  a  vast 
torrent  of  trains  and  men,  was  at  least  smooth  and  dry. 
There  was  great  danger  that  the  enerny  would  move  a 
column  down  the  Charles  City,  Central,  or  New  Market 
roads,  or  on  all  of  them,  but  this  must  be  risked. 

Information  was  received  that  "  Stonewall"  Jackson  was 
sweeping  down  the  Pamunkey  to  capture  the  military 
stores,  cut  off  the  communications  at  the  White  House,  and 
threaten  the  rear.  Orders  were  at  once  given  to  destroy  all 
the  public  property  at  the  White  House  and  then  evacuate 
the  place.  The  enemy,  in  overwhelming  numbers,  had 
turned  the  Union  right,  and  was  able  to  crush  the  forces  in 
front  and  rear. 

The  battle  of  Mechanicsville  began  at  noon  on  Thursday 
June  26th.  The  extreme  Union  right  wing,  consisting  of 
General  George  A.  McCall's  Pennsylvania  Reserves,  eight 
thousand  five  hundred  strong,  with  five  batteries,  was 
strongly  intrenched,  and  well  prepared,  having  been  fore- 
warned of  an  intended  attack.  At  New  bridge,  within 
supporting  distance,  under  Fitz  John  Porter,  were  MorelPfe 
division,  Sykes'  regulars,  and  Duryea's  Zouaves.  General 
Stoneman  had  been  sent  to  Old  Church  with  one  cavalry 
and  two  infantry  regiments,  to  reconnoitre,  and  check  any 
movement  on  the  flanks.  The  attack  was  first  made  on 
Stoneman,  on  the  extreme  right,  and  then  on  the  troops 
nearest,  in  the  vicinity  of  Mechanicsville.  The  enemy 
crossed  the  Chickahominy  at  Meadow  bridge,  Mechanics- 
ville bridge,  and  at  Atlee's,  intending  doubtless  to  turn  the 
Federal  right  wing.  They  were  led  by  General  Robert  E. 
Lee  in  person,  and  consisted  of  the  divisions  of  Generals 
A.  P.  Hill,  D.  H.  H'U,  Longstreet,  and  Anderson.  GeneraJ 


208  BATTLE   OF   MECHAXICSVILLE 

J.  G.  Reynolds'  brigade  held  the  Union  right,  and  Seymour's 
brigade  the  left.  The  fight  began  with  artillery  at  long 
range,  but  the  enemy,  finding  himself  inferior  in  this  arm, 
came  into  close  conflict.  When  the  assault  was  made  on 
the  Eighth  Illinois  cavalry,  six  companies  of  the  Bucktail 
regiment,  and  five  companies  of  the  Pennsylvania  Reserves, 
the  great  numbers  of  the  enemy  proved  that  resistance 
would  be  impossible,  and  General  Reynolds  sent  to  McCall 
for  assistance.  Meanwhile,  the  enemy  was  obstinately  re- 
sisted, and  man}'-  of  the  Bucktails,  fighting  bravely,  were 
captured.  The  battle,  at  two  o'clock  p.  M.,  became  more 
general  and  desperate,  and  great  numbers  of  the  rebels  were 
slaughtered  by  the  effectual  fire  which  the  Federal  soldiers 
rained  upon  them  from  the  rifle  pits  and  earthworks.  The 
men  and  horses  of  the  enemy,  in  crossing  the  swamp,  sank 
in  the  mire,  and  many  of  them  fell  by  the  Union  sharp- 
shooters. The  battle  had  now  brought  on  an  attack  toward 
the  left,  and  General  McCall  was  engaged  with  the  enemy, 
who  vainly  essayed  to  drive  him  from  his  position.  At 
six  o'clock,  the  enemy,  rendered  desperate  from  the  want  of 
success,  brought  up  more  troops,  and  the  battle  raged  with 
fiercer  fury.  General  Morell's  division  now  came  up  as  a 
reinforcement  to  the  Federals,  and  the  second  brigade,  ad- 
fancing  to  McCall's  support,  was  brought  into  action.  The 
Federal  line  of  battle  consisted  of  the  Fourth  Michigan, 
Fourteenth  New  York,  Sixty-second  Pennsylvania,  Ninth 
Massachusetts,  and  a  battalion  of  Berdan's  Sharpshooters. 
The  conflict  was  kept  up,  without  any  advantage  on  either 
side,  till  half  past  nine  o'clock.  The  enemy  had  been  se- 
verely punished,  and  his  efforts  to  dislodge  the  brave  troops 
had  proved  fruitless.  A  furious  cavalry  charge  by  the  Con- 
federates, late  in  the  day,  was  not  more  successful,  being 
handsomely  repelled  by  the  Union  cavalry,  while  many 
rebels  were  obliged  to  leave  their  horses  sticking  in  the 
marsh.  Fitz  John  Porter  was  ably  seconded  in  this  battle 
by  Generals  McCall,  Morell,  and  Griffin.  The  chief  exe- 
cution was  done  by  the  artillery,  Easton's  Pennsylvania 
battery,  in  particular,  distinguishing  itself.  The  attempt  of 
the  enemy  to  break  the  Union  centre,  at  seven  o'clock,  wa» 
gallantly  frustrated  by  Griffin.  The  Pennsylvania  Reserve* 
on  the  left,  under  Generals  Seymour  and  Reynolds,  fought 
with  enthusiastic  bravery,  and  prevented  the  enemy  from 
crossing  the  bridge  over  the  Chickahoininy. 


BATTLE  OF  GAINES'  MILL.  207 

During  the  night,  long  trains  of  thousands  of  wagons  be- 
gan their  slow  line  of  march  toward  the  James  river.  The 
sick  and  wounded  were  sent,  some  to  the  White  House,  and 
others  toward  Harrison's  Landing.  General  Porter  waa 
ordered  to  move  his  forces  to  a  position  nearer  the  river. 
The  enemy,  meanwhile,  was  busily  engaged  in  bringing  up 
heavy  reinforcements ;  and,  on  the  following  day  (Friday 
June  27th),  sixty  thousand  of  his  men  were  prepared  to 
renew  the  fight.  The  wearied  Union  troops,  during  the 
night,  obtained  a  slight  repose,  and  fearlessly  awaited  the 
coming  day,  destined  to  be  a  bloody  struggle  for  friend  and 
foe.  General  Porter,  in  falling  back  to  a  position  two  miles 
beyond  Gaines'  Mill,  had  the  division  of  General  Sykes  in 
the  advance,  which  was  followed  by  that  of  General  Morell. 
Though  the  retreat  was  conducted  in  good  order,  the  enemy, 
mistaking  it  for  a  hasty  flight,  advanced  in  great  masses, 
and,  overtaking  the  columns  in  the  vicinity  of  Gaines'  Mill, 
there  attacked  them.  As  the  enemy  was  for  awhile  arrested 
in  his  advance,  by  the  destruction  of  a  bridge,  one  was  now 
thrown  over  the  stream,  and  having  brought  over  the  artil- 
lery, he  eagerly  pursued  the  slowly  moving  Federal  column, 
and,  moving  to  the  assault,  brought  on  the  battle  of  Gaines 
Mill. 

"  Stonewall "  Jackson  was  now  advancing  in  great  force. 
On  the  morning  of  Friday,  the  27th,  the  troops  of  General 
Porter  stood  on  the  arc  of  a  circle.  General  Butterfield,  of 
Morell's  division,  occupied  the  extreme  left.  General  Mar- 
tindale  was  on  his  right ;  then  General  Griffin ;  and  next, 
General  Sykes.  A  second  line,  in  the  rear,  was  formed  by 
General  McCall's  division,  which  had  done  such  good  ser- 
vice on  the  preceding  day.  The  First  and  Fifth  regulars, 
and  the  Sixth  Pennsylvania  cavalry,  took  up  a  position  be- 
hind a  hill.  The  batteries  of  Tidball  and  Robinson  were  in 
position  on  commanding  eminences.  The  Union  force  on 
the  field  was  not  more  than  thirty-five  thousand  men ;  that 
of  the  enemy  is  placed,  by  some,  at  sixty  thousand ;  by 
others,  at  seventy  thousand. 

The  battle  opened  at  one  o'clock,  by  skirmishing  in  tront 
of  Griffin's  brigade,  and  by  an  artillery  attack  near  Gaines 
house.  The  enemy  felt  the  Federal  position  along  the  whole 
line.  About  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  Griffin's  brigade, 
advancing  to  the  edge  of  the  woods,  brought  on  the  first  im 


208  BATTLE   OF   GAINKS'   MILL. 

portant  opening  of  the  battle.  The  action  immediately 
commenced  on  the  extreme  right,  held  by  Sykes'  division, 
composed  of  three  brigades,  supported  by  Weed's,  Edwards', 
and  Tidball's  batteries.  The  repeated  attacks  by  the  enemy 
met  each  time  with  a  gallant  repulse.  Martindale's  brave 
men,  well  posted,  sent  their  broken  columns  down  the  hill 
by  their  destructive  volleys.  The  Thirteenth  New  York  and 
Second  Maine  regiments,  of  this  brigade,  saw  a  brigade  of 
Alabamians,  who  advanced  in  fine  order  up  the  hill.  "  Up 
and  at  them !"  was  the  word,  which,  like  lightning,  ran  along 
the  line.  Suddenly,  such  a  volley  of  -Minie  balls  swept 
the  foe,  that  the  hill  was  instantly  cleared.  The  battle  had 
now  became  general  along  the  whole  line.  "Stonewall" 
Jackson's  column  had  joined  Lee,  and  soon  made  a  vigorous 
attack  on  the  Federal  right.  His  shattered  columns  were 
hurled  reeling  back  by  the  galling  fire,  which  swept  their 
ranks,  from  Edwards',  Martin's,  and  Weeden's  artillery 
Again  he  massed  fresh  troops  to  turn  the  Union  right,  and 
again  was  repulsed  with  terrible  carnage.  The  invincible 
troops,  who  gallantly  repelled  this  great  rebel  general,  were 
Sykes'  regulars,  Warren's  brigade,  partly  composed  of  Dur- 
yea's  Zouaves,  and  Benedix's  Tenth  New  York  regiment. 
The  Zouaves  fought  desperately,  and  suffered  greatly,  as 
their  uniform  was  a  good  mark  for  the  rebel  sharpshooters. 
The  Confederate  attack  on  the  right  signally  failed,  and  the 
baffled  commander,  now  massing  his  troops,  once  more 
hurled  them  upon  the  centre.  He  had  been  rein- 
forced by  Hill  and  the  North  Carolina  troops,  which  were 
sent  to  fight  in  the  front.  The  most  desperate  combat  en- 
sued. The  battle  raged  for  two  hours  with  fierce  violence, 
rolling  and  surging  in  waves  of  destruction,  like  a  tempest- 
tossed  ocean.  McCall's  heroic  Reserves,  the  brigades  of 
General  Newton,  Colonel  Bartlett,  and  Colonel  Taylor,  of 
Slocum's  division,  advanced  successively,  and  mingling  in 
the  terrible  strife,  the  rebels  were  again  driven  back.  A 
dense  pine  wood,  between  the  Union  forces  and  the  enemy, 
prevented  the  use  of  artillery,  and  the  muskets  were  again 
called  into  requisition.  On  this  spot  the  greatest  loss  was 
sustained,  and  the  field  was  tinged  with  a  bloody  hue. 

The  attacks  on  the  right  and  centre  having  met  with  the 
severe  repulses  already  described,  the  persevering  Jackson 
now  formed  his  shattered  columns  and  attacked  the  left 


BATTLE    OF   GAINES'   MILL.  209 

Martindale's  right  wing  was  pressed  heavily  by  a  powerful 
force,  which  was  gallantly  opposed  by  the  scarred  veterans 
of  the  Twenty-second  Massachusetts  and  Second  Maine  regi- 
ments. The  most  tremendous  roar  of  musketry  suddenly 
arose,  and  its  volume  swelled  toward  the  extreme  left,  be 
neath  a  canopy  of  smoke  so  impenetrable  as,  at  times,  to 
obscure  the  sun.  The  dust  raised  by  cavalry  squadrons, 
moving  to  and  fro,  filled  the  eyes,  while  the  din  of  strife  re 
echoing  over  the  deadly  field,  presented  such  a  scene  of 
appalling  grandeur  as  has  been  seldom  witnessed.  The 
Union  troops  bore  up  well  against  the  fresh  forces  of  the 
enemy,  and  withstood  the  tremendous  shock.  Martindale, 
with  true  heroism,  rallied  his  men  again  and  again.  They 
were  swept  down,  but  bravely  prolonged  the  figh't,  without 
faltering.  Suddenly,  the  enemy,  by  superior  numbers,  out- 
(lanked  the  rigkt,  and,  breaking  through  Martindale's  left» 
came  swarming  down  the  hill  on  the  Eighty-third  Pennsyl 
vania,  which  had  already  lost  hundreds  of  men,  besides 
many  officers,  among  them  the  gallant  Colonel  McLean  and 
Major  Nagle.  Further  resistance  was  hopeless.  The  right 
was  giving  wa,y,  and  dense  crowds  were  in  retreat  on  the 
way  to  the  river. 

"  Once  more,  my  gallant  men  1"  shouted  the  heroic  But 
terfield,  as,  again  rallying  his  troops,  he  cut  his  way 
through  the  hosts  of  the  foe,  and  crossing  Emerson's 
bridge,  collected  his  scattered  forces,  which  now  numbered 
only  one  thousand  five  hundred.  Part  of  the  brigade  had 
been  drawn  off  by  General  Butterfield,  by  the  left  flank. 
The  centre  and  the  right  were  now  pressed  back,  and  the 
columns  retreating  became  mingled  in  one  mass.  Allen's, 
Weeden's,  Hart's,  and  Edwards'  batteries,  each  lost  a  part 
of  their  armament. 

About  seven  o'clock  P.  M.,  Generals  Meagher  and  French 
brought  up  their  brigades,  at  a  double-quick,  and,  forming 
in  line,  gathered  up  the  stragglers.  The  batteries  of  Griffin 
and  Martin  poured  canister,  meanwhile,  into  the  rebel  ranks, 
and  swept  them  away  like  chaff  before  the  wind.  Their 
onset  was  now  useless.  Fresh  troops  held  them  in  check  • 
and  while  Meagher  and  Griffin  had  restored  order  to  the 
confused  Union  ranks,  the  night  came  on,  and  the  enemy 
sullenly  retired.  The  battle  was  over,  and  the  exhausted 
regiments,  after  a  little  *est,  crossed  the  bridge,  and  de 


210  BATTLE    OF   GAINES*   MILL. 

stroyed  it  behind  them.  While  the  left  wing  was  struggling 
the  excitement  in  front  was  no  less.  Smith's  division,  at 
Goulden's,  and  Sedgwick,  on  his  left,  threatened  the  key  of 
the  rebel  position  before  Richmond.  They  were  suddenly 
attacked  by  an  invisible  foe,  which  rained  bullets  into  the 
Union  ranks.  Hancock  had  a  severe  engagement,  in  which 
two  Georgia  regiments  were  nearly  annihilated.  The  rebels 
here,  also,  were  obliged  to  retire  with  loss.  The  killed, 
wounded,  and  missing  of  the  Federals,  amounted  to  seven 
thousand.  The  rebel  loss  was  also  very  great. 

The  battles  of  Mechanicsville  and  Games'  Mill  were  fought 
on  the  left  side  of  the  river,  and  those  which  followed,  on 
the  right  side.  There  was  a  large  force  not  brought  into 
action  on  the  Union  side,  in  the  latter  engagement.  The 
retrograde  movement  was  now  becoming  known  to  the 
troops,  and  it  could  not  but  fill  the  minds  of  these  brave 
veterans  with  depression. 


CHAPTER  XXI 

JUN«  28TH  TO   AUGUST  17TH,  1862,  INCLUSIVE 

THI  WOUNDED  SENT  FROM  SAVAGE  STATION  TO  WHIT*  HOUSE — BATt LM  Of 

PEACH  ORCHARD  AND  8AVAGK  STATION PANIC  OF  THK  TROOPS BKAYKRY 

OF  THE  IRISH   BRIGADE BATTLK  OF  WHITE  OAK  SWAMP ATTACK   OV 

HANCOCK CONFUSION  IN  THE  RANKS ATTACK  ON  SMITH  AND  FRANKLIN 

— ENEMY  REPULSED — MCC ALL  FORCED  BACK  BY  THE  ENEMY  IN  A  TREMEN 

DOCS    CHARGE TERRIBLE     CARNAGE THE    GUNBOATS    CO-OPERATE — . 

CROWNING  CHARGE  OF  HEINTZKLMAN — BATTLE  OF  MALVERN  HILL — THK 
ARMY  AT  HARRISON'S  LANDING — THE  PENINSULAR  CAMPAIGN  A  FAILURK 
—THE  ARMY  WITHDRAWN  FROM  THE  PENINSULA. 

THE  main  body  of  the  Union  army  was  not  attacked  on 
Saturday,  the  28th  of  June,  and  at  an  early  hour  of  that  day, 
they  had  crossed  the  river  by  four  bridges,  which  they 
immediately  destroyed  behind  them.  At  a  later  hour,  the 
enemy  were  crossed  at  New  bridge,  but  the  day  passed 
without  any  hostile  demonstration.  Both  sides  were  engaged 
in  interring  the  dead,  who  had  fallen  in  the  late  engage- 
ments. The  Union  army  was  withdrawn  on  this  day  to 
Savage  Station,  from  which  the  wounded  were  sent  by  trains 
of  cars  to  the  White  House.  It  was  found  that  the  telegraph 
wires  had  been  cut,  and  that  the  enemy  had  occupied  Des- 
patch station.  Ambulances  conveyed  many  of  the  sick  and 
wounded  at  Savage  Station,  toward  Harrison's  Landing.  A 
sufficient  means  of  transportation  not  being  found,  all  who 
were  not  able  to  walk  were  left  to  the  tender  mercies  of  the 
enemy.  A  vast  quantity  of  commissary  stores,  hospital 
supplies,  and  ammunition,  which  could  not  be  removed,  were 
by  the  orders  of  McClellan  destroyed.  A  train  of  four  cars, 
containing  ammunition,  was  run  into  the  Chickahominy,  at 
the  bridge,  which  had  been  destroyed. 

The  sufferings  of  the  wounded,  as  they  hoblled  along  to 
escape  capture,  were  intense.  Men  might  be  seen,  weak 
and  faint,  with  undressed  wounds,  making  the  best  of  their 
way  to  a  place  of  safety.  Ambulances  were  crowded,  and 
as  many  of  the  wounded  as  possible  conveyed  on  the  wagon 
train.  The  artillery  rumbling  along  with  a  thundering 
noise,  and  fugitives  and  sutlers,  teamsters  and  nogroes,  rain 

(211) 


212    BATTLbS  OF  PEACH  ORCHARD  AND  SAVAGE  STATION. 

gled  in  the  tumult  and  Jin  which  resounded  on  all  sides.  At 
times,  a  panic  would  seize  this  motley  crowd,  as  a  report 
arrived  that  the  enemy  was  approaching,  but  hope  would 
again  spring  up,  and  the  movements  be  livelier  than  before. 

The  White  House  was  finally  abandoned  on  Saturday  af- 
ternoon, June  28th,  at  four  o'clock,  by  the  transports  and 
itearr.ers,  and  at  seven  o'clock  the  enemy's  pickets  found  the 
place  deserted. 

On  Sunday  morning,  June  29th,  at  three  o'clock,  General 
McClellan,  with  his  staff  and  body-guard,  rode  to  Charles 
City.  He  ordered  his  generals  to  abandon  their  works,  and 
follow  with  their  troops.  Should  the  enemy  try  to  cut  off 
the  retreat,  they  were  to  fight  him.  General  Smith  left  the 
same  morning  at  daylight,  followed  soon  after  by  Heintzel- 
mun,  Keyes.  and  Franklin,  with  their  divisions.  McCall,  and 
the  Reserves  came  next,  and  Hooker  and  Kearney  brought 
up  the  rear.  'The  Union  army  was  no  sooner  in  motion, 
ihan  the  rebel  generals  began  to  follow  in  close  pursuit,  and 
later  in  the  day  brought  on  the  battles  of  Peach  Orchard 
and  Savage  Station.  The  enemy  advanced  by  the  Williams- 
burg  road,  and  was  greeted  with  a  terrible  discharge  from 
the  Union  guns,  at  the  distance  of  three  hundred  yards.  In 
a  contest,  lasting  from  eight  o'clock  until  noon,  the  rebels 
vainly  attempted  to  turn  the  Union  flank.  Ineffectual  efforts 
were  made  by  charging  the  brigades  of  Burns,  Gorman,  and 
Dana,  to  defeat  them  separately,  and  destroy  them  by  piece- 
meal. The  men  fought  with  great  bravery  under  Heintzel- 
man,  Richardson,  Sedgwick,  Sumner,  and  Meagher,  and  no 
exertion?  of  the  enemy  could  force  them  back,  or  drive  them 
from  the  position  they  had  taken.  When  the  wagons,  am 
bulances,  and  cattle  had  proceeded  across  White  Oak  swamp, 
anl  were  secure  from  attack,  the  troops  were  ordered  to  fall 
bac^.  This  movement  was  executed  in  good  order,  and  at 
Savage  Station,  being  drawn  up  in  line  of  battle,  they  pre- 
sented a  bold  front  to  the  enemy. 

The  battle  of  Savage  Station,  which  was  fought  later  in 
the  day,  was  fierce  and  bloody.  The  enemy,  previously,  had 
been  largely  reinforced,  and  their  onset  was  consequently 
more  fierce  and  deadly  than  before.  A  thick  wood  con- 
cealed their  advance,  until  they  were  within  a  short  distance 
of  the  Union  lines.  Suddenly  swarming  from  the  wood, 
and  plantir  g  four  batteries  on  high  hills,  they  commence-.!  a 


213 

rapid  fire  of  shot  and  shell  with  such  vigor,  that  the  One  Hun- 
dred and  Sixth  Pennsylvania  broke  and  gave  way  in  & 
panic,  after  leaving  one  hundred  of  its  number  killed  and 
wounded.  The  Union  cannoneers  having  been  picked  off 
by  rebel  sharpshooters,  or  driven  from  the  guns,  the  artil- 
lery for  a  time  was  of  little  use.  The  rebels  fought  with 
great  resolution,  and  several  times  during  the  battle  the 
Union  situation  was  critical.  An  entire  brigade  of  the 
enemy,  at  one  time  was  quietly  moved  down  to  attack  the 
right  flank,  but  the  design  was  frustrated  by  the  grape  and 
canister  hurled  on  them  by  Petit's  battery,  and  retiring  has- 
tily, they  abandoned  the  design.  The  Irish  regiments  fought 
bravely,  charging  at  times  up  to  the  cannon's  mouth,  and 
once  dragging  off  a  battery  and  spiking  the  guns.  The  in- 
tervention of  night  brought  no  cessation  of  the  combat,  and 
the  sound  of  artillery,  in  the  deafening  roar,  mingled  with 
the  incessant  musketry  rattle.  The  flashes  of  light  from  the 
guns,  revealed  the  different  positions  to  the  combatants,  and 
the  woods,  fired  by  the  bursting  shells,  blazed  amic1  the 
dense  smoke  and  lent  increased  horror  to  the  scene.  The 
work  of  destruction  went  on  till  near  midnight,  with  great 
loss  on  both  sides.  The  enemy  had  massed  now  upon  this, 
now  upon  that  portion  of  the  line,  and  was  repelled  at  all 
points  with  great  slaughter.  The  hospitals,  in  which  the 
poor  wounded  patriots  lay,  were  fired  into,  though  white  and 
red  flags  marked  the  places  which,  in  civilized  warfare,  are 
considered  sacred. 

General  McClellan,  at  noon,  ordered  the  Union  commanders 
to  fall  rapidly  back  from  Savage  Station,  through  White 
Oak  swamp,  in  order  to  frustrate  the  attempts  of  the  enemy 
to  intercept  them.  The  wounded  were  left  behind  at  Sav- 
age Station,  in  the  enemy's  hands.  The  brave  troops  who 
hud  fought  so  well  all  day,  had  now  to  pursue  their  way 
through  the  miry  swamp,  and  the  retreat,  begun  in  good 
order,  would  now  become  a  flight,  in  which  despair  would 
nerve  the  Union  troops  till  they  should  safely  arrive  at  thoir 
new  base,  on  the  banks  of  the  James. 

The  retreat  to  the  swamp  was  one  of  great  effort,  as  the 
enemy  pressed  on  and  harassed  the  rear,  while  a  large  body 
attempted  to  cut  off  the  Union  forces  in  front.  The  assaults 
were  warded  off  by  the  divisions  of  Heintzelman,  Sumner, 
and  Franklin,  who  presented  a  line  of  battle,  and  repelled 


BATTLE   OF   WHITE   OAK   SWAMP 

every  onset.  The  entire  train,  with  all  the  artillery  wagons, 
were  now  across  White  Oak  creek,  and  at  eight  o'clock 
next  morning,  the  troops,  wearied  with  their  toilsome  retreat 
and  desperate  struggles,  lay  down  to  rest  beside  the  stream. 
*nd  to  slake  in  its  limpid  waters  the  intense  thirst  which 
the  heat  and  their  excessive  labors  produced. 

The  race  to  White  Oak  swamp  was  indeed  won,  but  a 
very  short  time  was  allowed  the  troops  to  rest  by  the  per 
severing  enemy,  who  was  again  upon  them.  The  place 
where  they  now  were,  was  the  scene  of  the  battle  of  White 
Oak  swamp,  which  was  fought  on  Monday,  June  30th. 
After  crossing  White  Oak  creek,  the  new  line  of  battle  was 
immediately  formed,  and  the  position  extended  four  miles, 
lleintzelman,  Sumner,  Kearney,  Porter,  and  Hancock,  were 
each  in  their  places.  The  last  held  the  extreme  right,  and 
next  him  were  Brooks  and  Davidson,  with  Ayre's  batteries. 
Next  were  the  divisions  of  Sumner,  lleintzelman  and 
Porter. 

The  enemy  made  the  first  attack  on  General  Hancock, 
with  twenty  batteries,  which  soon  sent  several  of  the  cais- 
sons of  Mott's  battery  into  flying  splinters,  shattered  his 
guns,  and  spread  a  wild  panic  among  all  the  troops  within 
range.  The  Twentieth  New  York  regiment  broke  and  fled 
in  confusion.  At  noon,  the  enemy  attacked  the  divisions  of 
Smith  and  Richardson,  and  Negley's  brigade,  at  White  Oak 
bridge,  and  attempted  to  send  an  infantry  force  across  the 
creek  under  the  cover  of  a  heavy  artillery  fire.  The  Union 
artillery  fire  was  kept  up  with  good  effect  by  Ayres'  battery 
but  the  loss  was  heavy.  General  Franklin  held  his  position 
with  great  tenacity,  and  by  vigorous  charges,  drove  the 
enemy  back  into  the  swamp.  At  two  o'clock,  great  masses 
of  the  latter,  coming  up  from  the  direction  of  Richmond,  by 
the  Charles  City  road,  made  a  furious  attack  on  Slocum's 
left.  The  fire  was  returned,  and,  in  face  of  it,  the  rebels 
pushed  boldly  on,  and  for  two  hours  the  battle  was  kept  up 
•without  cessation.  Unable  at  last  to  endure  the  deadly 
storm  poured  upon  them  by  infantry  and  artillery,  the  rebels 
at  last  sullenly  withdrew. 

Onward  they  came  again  in  wedge-shaped  columns,  and 
with  great  daring,  through  the  deadly  missiles  which  made 
many  a  gap  in  their  ranks,  surrounding  Randall's  battery, 
»nd  sweeping  away  the  Fourth  regiment  of  McCall's  division 


CHARGE   OF   HEINTZELA1AN.  216 

McCall,  with  six  thousand  men,  had  long  resisted  twenty 
thousand,  underLongstreetand  Hill,  and  was  now  compelled 
to  give  way  before  an  overwhelming  force.  The  demoralized 
troops  rushed  through  Hooker's  lines,  and  gave  that  com- 
mander apprehensions  of  a  disastrous  effect  upon  his  com- 
mand. The  farious  enemy  pressing  on  the  routed  ranks, 
were  checked  by  a  front  fire  of  the  Sixteenth  Massachusetts, 
Mid  afterward  by  a  diagonal  fire  of  the  Sixty- ninth  Penn- 
sylvania. The  enemy,  after  heavy  losses.,,  gave  way,  and 
were  followed  up  with  great  gallantry  by  Grover,  at  the  head 
of  the  First  Massachusetts,  while  the  Sixty-ninth  took  them 
in  flank  in  the  open  field.  Grover  was  reinforced  by  the 
Second  New  Hampshire  and  Twenty-sixth  Pennsylvania 
regiments.  The  enemy  were  driven  back  through  part  of 
McCalPs  camp,  and  were  forced  by  Sumner  back  on  Kear- 
ney, where  the  battle  raged  till  a  late  hour  at  night.  The 
Federal  gunboats,  which  were  anchored  in  Turkey  Bend, 
participated  in  this  action,  and  committed  terrible  havoc 
among  the  thick  masses  of  the  enemy,  who  were  forced  to 
give  way.  Heintzelman  then  determined  on  one  great  and 
combined  charge.  The  gunboats  suspended  fire,  and  on  the 
sound  of  the  bugles,  the  whole  line  advanced,  and  drove 
the  routed  enemy  from  the  field.  This  battle  saved  the 
Union  army  from  ruin,  or  capitulation.  The  enemy  were 
quite  sanguine  of  success,  but  retired  from  the  field  defeated, 
leaving  a  large  extent  of  ground  covered  with  their  dead 
and  dying.  The  Federal  loss  was  three  thousand  five  hun 
dred.  The  army  had  now  reached  the  James  river,  and  the 
soldiers  were  no  more  apprehensive  of  destruction  or  cap- 
ture. The  seven  days'  battles  were  not  yet  over,  nor  the 
task  complete,  but  the  army  had  reached  a  place  of  safety. 
Wagons,  stores,  ammunition,  and  supplies,  were  on  their 
way  to  Harrison's  Landing,  six  miles  below,  and  the  Jamea 
river  was  crowded  with  vessels  and  transports. 

An  admirable  position  for  the  Union  forces  was  chosen 
at  Malvern  Hill,  but  a  short  distance  from  the  James  river, 
and  where  the  gunboats  could  assail  the  enemy  with  shot 
and  shell.  It  contained  an  area  of  a  mile  and  a  half,  inter- 
sected by  several  roads,  and  skiited  by  thick  woods.  On 
the  morning  of  Tuesday,  the  1st  of  July,  the  Union  army 
was  massed  on  Malvern  Hill,  and  prepared  for  the  coming 
conflict.  The  attack  was  anticipated  on  the  left,  which  wai 


216  BATTLE   OF   MALYKRN    HILL. 

strongly  fortified.  The  Federal  line  formed  a  semicircle 
The  extreme  right  was  held  by  Keyes.  Franklin  came 
next,  then  Sumner's  command,  composed  of  the  divisions  of 
Sedgwick  and  Richardson.  Fitz  John  Porter  held  the  ex- 
treme left.  Heintzelman's  corps,  including  the  divisions  of 
Hooker,  Kearney,  and  Couch,  held  the  centre.  Sixty  guns 
from  the  front  of  the  line  formed  by  Porter's  corps,  with 
Sykes  on  the  left,  and  Morell  on  the  right,  could  pour  a 
concentrated  fire  on  any  point.  The  gunboat  flotilla  guarded 
the  flank,  and  held  the  approach  from  Richmond. 

The  enemy,  recovering  from  the  stunning  blow  which  had 
the  day  before  sent  him  reeling  with  shattered  columns, 
emerged  from  the  woods  on  Tuesday,  the  1st  of  July,  at  ten 
o'clock,  with  artillery  and  skirmishers.  At  two  o'clock,  a 
column  was  seen  moving  along  the  margin  of  the  woods,  in 
front  of  Ileintzelman's  corps.  It  took  two  hours  in  passing 
the  point  of  observation,  and  again  was  hidden  in  the  recesses 
of  the  forest. 

At  three  o'clock,  a  fierce  attack  on  Couch's  division,  by 
infantry  and  artillery,  being  promptly  responded  to  by  the 
Union  guns,  brought  on  the  battle  in  earnest.  An  immense 
rebel  column  charged  on  Couch's  division,  for  the  purpose 
of  capturing  the  guns.  Onward  they  rushed,  in  fierce  and 
desperate  daring,  in  spite  of  the  wasting  fire  which  mowed 
down  their  ranks,  and  strewed  the  path  with  their  dead. 
The  Union  infantry  lay  flat  upon  the  ground  till  they  came 
within  range,  and  then  rising,  discharged  such  a  murderous 
fire  as  sent  them  panic  stricken  and  flying  in  wild  confusion 
across  the  plain,  and  into  the  covert  of  the  woods.  A  large 
part  of  their  number  lay  dead  or  dying  on  the  field.  The 
fugitives  were  pursued  nearly  a  mile.  After  a  short  inter- 
val, the  rebel  commanders,  Lee,  Magruder,  and  Jackson, 
massed  heavy  bodies  of  troops,  supported  by  artillery,  against 
Porter  and  Couch.  Column  after  column  came  up  to  the 
rebel  support  for  an  hour,  and  desperate  charges  were  made 
to  carry  the  hill. 

The  brigades  of  Meagher  and  Sickles  were  sent,  at  seven 
o'clock,  to  relieve  the  brave  but  exhausted  troops  of  Couch, 
who  had  expended  all  their  ammunition.  These  reinforce- 
ments, at  this  critical  moment,  advanced  upon  the  enemy 
who  recoiled.  The  tide  of  battle  rolled  back.  Batteries 
from  the  rese-ve  were  sent  up,  and  the  fight  lasted  till  nine 


TH«  ARMY   AT    HARBISON'S   LANDING.  217 

o'clock.     The  Federal  gunners  had  the  range,  and  with  sev 
eral  discharges  in  the  minute,  the  advancing  rebel  lines  were 
cut  down  with  great  slaughter. 

The  gunboats  rendered  important  service  during  the  bat- 
tle, by  casting  upon  the  foe  shells  twenty  inches  in  length 
and  eight  in  diameter.  Whole  lines  of  the  enemy  were  hurled 
at  once  to  the  dust  by  these  dreadful  bolts;  but  the  rebel 
leaders  were  reckless  of  the  lives  of  their  men,  and  drove 
them  forward  to  sure  and  speedy  destruction.  They  were 
huddled  together  like  sheep,  and  hurled,  mangled,  to  the 
ground,  in  writhing  agony.  The  enemy  was  routed  with 
fearful  loss,  and  driven  back  to  the  woods.  Some  of  the 
Union  generals  thought  that  the  disorganized  rebel  force 
should  now  be  followed  up  and  destroyed,  and  the  Union 
troops  led  in  triumph  to  Richmond.  One  of-these  was  Gen- 
eral Philip  Kearney,  who  said  that  the  order  to  cease  the 
pursuit  and  retreat  to  Harrison's  bar  could  "only  be 
prompted  by  cowardice  or  treason;"  and  "General  Martin- 
dale  shed  tears  of  shame."  With  the  battle  of  Malvern 
Hill  ended  the  Seven  Days'  Fight,  and  the  last  assaults  made 
upon  the  Union  forces  for  some  time.  The  Union  loss,  in 
killed,  wounded,  and  missing,  in  this  series  of  conflicts,  is 
estimated  at  fifteen  thousand  two  hundred  and  forty-nine. 
The  rebel  loss  is  estimated,  during  the  same  period,  at 
twenty  thousand  men.  At  this  last  battle  alone,  they  lost 
at  least  ten  thousand. 

This  retreat  was  well  ordered,  and  the  most  heroic  cour- 
age was  united  with  the  firmest  endurance,  both  in  the  men 
;tnd  their  officers.  The  commanders  exhibited  those  great 
inalities  which  made  them  renowned.  The  carriages  and 
wagons  alone,  in  single  line,  would  have  filled  a  road  forty 
miles.  They'  were  now  safe.  To  conduct  an  army  to  a  new 
base  so  successfully,  was  an  herculean  task,  under  such  cir- 
cumstances. 

On  Tuesday  night,  and  Wednesday,  July  2d,  the  concen- 
tration of  all  the  troops  at  Harrison's  Landing  was  finished, 
and  the  exhausted  enemy  was  too  much  wearied  to  make 
another  attack ;  they  had  suffered  greater  punishment  than 
they  inflicted.  The  place  was  well  suited  for  defence,  and 
extending  five  miles  along  the  James,  had  many  wharves 
where  the  transports  could  land.  Soon,  formidable  breast- 
works rendered  it  difficult  of  asscult  by  the  enemy.  Thr 
19 


218          RKCONNO1SSAN  3E — FIGHT    AT   MALVERN    HILL. 

bravery  and  persevering  energy  of  the  troops,  and  their  patient 
endurance  of  suffering,  were  praised  by  the  commanding 
general,  in  an  address  on  the  4th  of  July.  Their  noble  hero- 
ism will  be  recorded  in  history,  and  never  be  forgotten  as 
long  as  the  nation  cherishes  the  recollection  of  the  glorious 
deeds  of  this  great,  but  unfortunate,  Peninsular  Campaign. 

Nearly  a  month  glided  away,  and  the  army  remained  un- 
disturbed by  the  enemy.  On  the  31st  of  July,  the  latter 
crossed  the  river  in  large  force,  and  with  batteries  opposite 
to  the  Landing,  shelled  the  Union  camp  and  fleet  of  trans- 
ports for  an  hour  and  a  half.  The  Federal  guns  were  placed 
in  position,  and  in  half  an  hour  responded  with  such  effect, 
that  those  of  the  rebels  were  soon  silenced.  On  Monday, 
August  4th.  some  troops,  consisting  of  the  divisions  of 
Hooker  and  Sedgwick,  a  brigade  of  cavalry,  under  General 
Pleasonton,  with  four  batteries,  the  whole  commanded  by 
General  Hooker,  went  out  on  a  reconnoissance.  They 
started  at  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  proceeded  along  the 
Charles  City  road,  and  thence,  by  several  roads,  to  Nelson's 
farm,  where  they  halted  and  bivouacked.  Continuing  the 
march,  next  morning,  they  found  the  enemy  posted  on  Mai 
vern  Hill.  The  Union  troops  immediately  formed  in  line 
of  battle,  with  artillery  in  front,  and  infantry  and  cavalry  on 
the  flanks.  The  attack  began  at  six  o'clock,  by  the  rebel 
guns  opening  fire,  which  was  responded  to  by  the  Union 
batteries.  The  rebel  force  consisted  of  but  three  infantry 
regiments,  some  cavalry,  and  four  pieces  of  artillery.  They 
fought  with  firmness,  for  two  hours,  and  then  retired 
in  good  order,  toward  the  river,  carrying  the  dead  and 
wounded.  They  lost  six  killed  and  twenty-four  wounded. 
General  Hooker  now  occupied  Malvern  Hill,  which  was  six 
miles  nearer  Richmond  than  the  new  base  of  supplies. 

On  the  afternoon  of  Tuesday,  the  5th,  McClellan  visited 
the  place,  and  greatly  commended  Hooker  for  this  achieve- 
ment. Reinforcements  were  ordered  up,  as  large  forces  ta 
assist  the  rebels  were  anticipated,  and  a  general  engagement 
was  expected.  The  Federal  reinforcements  d'd  not  all  arrive 
in  time,  and  on  Wednesday,  August  6th,  the  rebels  far  out- 
numbered the  Union  troops.  A  hasty  retreat  was  therefore 
made  to  Harrison's  Landing,  and  the  enemy  reoccupied 
Malvern  Hill.  The  Federal  loss  was  nineteen  killed  and 
Wounded.  The  Government  now  saw  that  the  Peninsula! 


THE  ARMY   WITHDRAWN   FROM   THB   PKN1KSULA.      219 

Campaign  was  a  failure,  and  that  the  army  would  require 
reorganization.  McClellan  demanded  fifty  thousand  fresh 
troops,  for  the  capture  of  the  rebel  capital.  In  obedience  to 
orders,  he  evacuated  Harrison's  Landing  on  the  16th  and 
17th  of  August,  1862.  The  stores,  supplies,  and  ammuni- 
tion, were  all  put  on  board  the  transports,  and  the  army 
crossed  the  Chickahominy  on  a  pontoon  bridge,  two  thou- 
san.1  feet  in  length,  formed  by  one  hundred  boats.  While 
the  transports  and  gunboats  sailed  down  the  James  river  to 
Fortress  Monroe,  the  troops  marched  toward  Williamsburg 
Their  destination  was  yet  a  secret,  but  they  were  at  length 
consolidated  with  the  troops  under  General  Pope. 

Thus  ended  the  campaign  in  the  Peninsula;  one  that  wa? 
calculated,  in  the  earlier  stages,  to  fill  the  patriotic  breast 
with  reasonable  hope  that  the  stars  and  stripes  would  onca 
more  float  over  the  cupolas  and  spires  of  Richmond,  and  re- 
creant traitors  meet  their  doom.  This  hope  was  blasted. 
Perseverance,  energy,  bravery,  endurance,  suffering,  wounds, 
and  the  death  of  thousands  of  the  most  valiant  men  that 
ever  drew  the  sword  in  a  true  cause,  were  all  in  vain, 
llecator.ibs  were  yet  to  be  offered,  and  much  blood  and 
treasure  poured  forth,  before  the  goal  was  reached,  and  tha 
insolent  foe  vanquished. 


CHAPTER  XXII 
JULY,  1862. 

ENERGY  OF  THE  ADMINISTRATION — CALL  FOR  THBBH  BONDBM 
THOUSAND  MEN  BY  DRAFT — GENERAL  HALLECK  COMMANDKR-IN-CI1IKP 
OF  THK  ARMT — GENERAL  POPE'S  OPERATIONS — MR.  LINCOLN'S  MESS  A  (IB 
IN  FAVOR  OF  EMANCIPATION — RECONNOISSANCE  TO  BEAVER  DAM — BAT- 
TLE  ON  BAYOI7  CACHE,  IN  ARKANSAS — ACTION  ON  THE  MISSISSIPPI  WITH 
TBS  REBEL  HAM  ARKANSAS — FIGHT  NEAR  MEMPHIS,  MISSISSIPPI — TUB 
REBEL  MORGAN  IN  KENTUCKY — ANOTHER  ANTI-SLAVERY  MESSAGE — KX 
PEDITIONS  TO  TRENTON  AND  POLLOCK8VILLE,  FROM  NEWBERN — COLONEL 
ELLET  RENEWS  THE  ATTACK  ON  THE  ARKANSAS — CREATION  OF  NEW 
GRADES  IN  THE  NAVY  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

IT  is  recorded  in  fabulous  history,  that  a  certain  giant, 
Antaeus,  having  a  com  bat,  acquired  renewed  strength,  every 
time  he  was  thrown,  by  touching  mother  earth.  Thus,  in 
the  great  American  conflict,  when  the  hope  of  the  nation 
suffered  a  temporary  overthrow,  she  rose  with  unconquerable 
energy,  and,  disdaining  defeat,  hurled  with  amazing  force 
new  legions  upon  the  rebellion,  until,  crushed  beneath  the 
superincumbent  weight,  the  unwieldy  monster  staggered 
and  fell.  The  disasters  of  the  campaign  in  the  Peninsula 
filled  the  nation  with  gloomy  forebodings ;  but  as  the  re- 
mp'ns  of  that  once  magnificent  army  occupied  positions 
assigned  it  around  the  Federal  capital,  new  measures  were 
on  foot  for  reorganization.  The  administration  put  forth 
more  strenuous  efforts  to  increase  the  military  strength  of 
the  nation,  and  to  resume  the  offensive  as  early  as  possible 
The  governors  of  nearly  all  the  loyal  States  had  suggested 
the  necessity  of  a  new  levy,  and  the  President  made  a  call 
for  three  hundred  thousand  men,  for  nine  months,  on  the 
4th  of  August,  by  draft.  Preparations  were  made  at  once 
to  obtain  the  required  quota  of  each  State. 

General  John  Pope,  on  the  14th  of  July,  took  command 
of  the  consolidated  army  of  Virginia,  comprising  the  corps 
of  Fremont  and  McDowell. 

On  the  llth  of  July,  General  H.  W.  Halleck  was  ordered 
to  Washington,  and  appointed  General-in-chief  of  the 
armies  of  the  United  States.  The  design  of  the  admin- 
(220) 


PRESIDENT'S  MESSAGE  RECOMMENDING  EMANCIPATION.  221 

istration  was  10  increase  the  efficiency  of  the  army,  by 
placing  the  operations  of  the  War  Department  chiefly 
under  the  superintendence  of  a  military  man,  one  who  had 
made  the  art  of  war  his  especial  study. 

On  the  J4th  of  July,  President  Lincoln  sent  a  message  to 
Congress  recommending  the  adoption  of  a  bill  for  the  abo- 
lition of  slavery.  The  bill  provided,  that  whenever  the 
President  should  become  satisfied  that  any  State  had 
abolished  slavery  throughout  its  limits,  either  immediately 
or  gradually  it  should  be  his  duty,  assisted  by  the  Secretary 
of  the  Treasury,  to  prepare  and  deliver  to  such  a  State  an 
amount  of  interest-bearing  bonds  of  the  United  States  equai 
in  amount  to  the  aggregate  value  of  all  the  slaves  which 
were  reported  to  have  existed  in  that  State  according  to  the 
census  of  1860.  The  bill  provided,  further,  that  if  the 
abolition  of  slavery  in  any  State  should  be  made  imme- 
diately, the  payment  of  the  designated  sum  should  also  be 
immediate  ;  if  it  were  made  gradually,  the  payment  should 
be  gradual ;  and  if  any  State  should  restore  slavery  within 
its  limits  after  its  abolition  therein,  the  bonds  held  by  it 
against  the  United  States  should  thereby  become  null  and 
void. 

After  some  discussion  in  the  Senate,  the  Message  was  re- 
ferred to  the  Committee  on  Finance.  In  the  House,  it  waa 
gent  to  the  Committee  on  the  Abolition  of  Slavery  in  the 
Border  States.  This  act  of  the  President,  as  shadowing 
forth  the  future  action  of  the  administration  with  respect  to 
slavery,  profoundly  impressed  the  citizens  of  all  the  States, 
both  the  loyal  and  rebellious.  It  manifested  the  intention 
of  Mr.  Lincoln  to  eventually  blot  out  forever  an  institution 
which  was  at  once  a  disgrace  to  humanity,  and  one  of  the 
most  powerful  causes  of  the  unjustifiable  rebellion. 

The  Presidential  policy  on  this  vexed  question  being  thus 
clearly  defined,  Mr.  Lincoln  desired  the  representatives  of 
the  border  States  in  Congress  to  induce  their  constituents, 
as  far  as  was  in  their  power,  to  adopt  the  emancipation 
policy  which  the  message  set  forth. 

The  representatives  from  Kentucky,  Missouri,  and  Mary 
land,  replied  that  they  did  not  see  the  necessity  for  abolish 
ing  slavery  in  the  States  which  they  represented,  and  that 
it  was  at  least  questionable  whether  its  abolition  in  the 
rebel  States  by  Fciera    power  would  be  of  any  assistance 


222  RECONNOISSANCE  TO    BEAVER    DAM. 

in  bringing  about  a  successful  issue  to  the  Union  cause. 
The  reply  of  the  minority  of  the  representatives,  admitted 
that  the  "lever  power  of  the  rebellion  was  slavery;"  they 
were  willing  to  save  the  Union  by  all  the  means  in  theii 
power,  and  as  the  Confederates  gave  up  slavery  to  destroy 
the  Union,  "they  could  ask  their  people  to  consider  the 
question  of  emancipation  to  save  the  Union." 

On  the  22d  of  July,  the  Secretary  of  War,  acting  un-lei 
the  direction  of  the  President,  published  an  order  that  the . 
military  commanders  in  the  States  of  Virginia,  South  Caro- 
lina, Georgia,  Florida,  Alabama,  Louisiana,  Texas,  and  Ar- 
kansas, should  employ  as  many  persons  of  African  descent 
in  said  States  as  could  be  advantageously  used  for  military 
and  naval  purposes,  and  that  they  should  be  reasonably 
compensated  for  their  labor ;  that  accounts  should  be  kept 
showing  from  whom  such  slaves  shall  have  been  taken,  and 
the  value  of  their  labor,  "as  a  basis  on  which  compensation 
can  be  made  in  proper  cases." 

These  measures  were,  at  a  later  date,  followed  by  others, 
which  sounded  the  death  knell  to  slavery,  "preaching  de- 
liverance to  the  captive,  and  the  opening  of  the  prison 
•loors"  to  the  sable  sons  of  Africa.  Thus  He,  "  in  whom  is 
hid  all  the  treasures  of  wisdom  and  knowledge,"  was  solving 
difficulties  that  baffled  the  wisdom  of  statesmen,  senators, 
and  philanthropists,  and  was  making  the  great  nation  indeed 
"  the  land  of  the  free." 

General  Pope  still  held  his  head-quarters  at  Washington 
lie  initiated  a  rigid  course  with  secessionists,  and  pro 
hibited  his  soldiers  from  guarding  the  properly  of  reboi 
sympathizers.  The  transportation  of  the  army  was  greatly 
reduced,  and  the  troops  were  to  find  subsistence  from  the 
country  through  which  they  marched. 

On  the  19th  of  July  the  first  movement  took  place.  Gen- 
eral Pope  had  sent  General  King  with  a  small  brdy  of 
cavalry  from  Warrenton  to  make  a  reconnoissance  in  the 
direction  of  Gordons ville.  Leaving  Fredericksburg  on  the 
evening  of  the  19th,  and  marching  all  night,  the  Virginia 
Central  railroad  was  struck  at  Beaver  Dam,  thirty-five  miles 
from  Richmond.  At  this  point  the  railroad  and  telegraph 
were  destroyed  for  several  miles  by  the  raiders.  The  de'pot, 
containing  one  hundred  barrels  of  flour,  and  a  considerable 
quantity  of  ammunition,  was  fin  I.  Ascertaining  that  th« 


BATTLE   OF   BAYOU   CACHE.  223 

<snemy,  under  "Stonewall"  Jackson,  at  Gordons rille,  con 
sisted  of  a  large  portion  of  the  rebel  arrny,  the  raiders  re- 
turned to  Warrenton,  after  a  march  of  eighty  miles  in  thirty 
hours.  The  strength  and  operations  of  the  rebels  were 
further  disclosed  by  other  reconnoitering  parties  sent  out  at 
Jifferent  times  by  General  Pope. 

Leaving  the  hostile  armies  to  concentrate,  and  prepare 
f«»r  the  great  engagements  in  which  they  were  soon  to  con- 
tend for  the  supremacy,  we  proceed  to  describe  some  of  the 
everts  which  occurred  in  other  portions  of  the  stage,  on 
which  the  melancholy  drama  of  rebellion  was  enacted.  The 
plan  of  the  campaign  in  the  West,  rendered  it  necessary  for 
General  Curtis  to  march  from  Batesville  to  Helena,  in  Ar- 
kansas. This  march  was  begun  May  24th,  1862,  and  was 
much  annoyed  by  the  enemy.  On  the  7th  of  July,  an 
engagement  took  place  at  Bayou  Cache,  at  a  point  where 
the  enemy  had  blocked  up  the  way  with  felled  timbor 
Colonel  Ilovey,  with  three  hundred  and  fifty  men,  was  sent 
to  clear  the  road  and  reconnoitre.  An  action  took  place 
between  a  detachment  of  his  command  and  a  superior  rebel 
force,  in  which  the  Union  troops  were  finally  routed.  At 
that  critical  moment,  Colonel  Hovey  went  to  the  support  of 
the  Union  forces,  and  Major  Wood  soon  followed.  The 
action  was  then  varied  by  the  use  of  artillery,  infantry,  and 
cavalry,  which  resulted  in  the  defeat  of  the  enemy.  The 
rebel  loss  was  one  hundred  and  ten  killed,  and  two  hundred 
and  fifty  wounded ;  and  the  Federals,  ten  killed,  and  fifty- 
seven  wounded.  The  Confederates  aimed  too  high  ;  the 
Lin  ion  troops  took  more  accurate  aim  ;  hence  the  result. 

On  the  14th  of  July,  there  was  a  brisk  action  on  .the  Mis- 
sissipppi,  near  Vicksburg,  between  the  powerful  rebel  ram 
Arkansas,  and  a  part  of  the  Union  fleet  anchored  near  that 
city.  The  ram  was  one  hundred  and  eighty  feet  long,  and 
sixty  in  breadth.  She  was  propelled,  below  the  water  line, 
by  engines  of  nine  hundred  horse-power.  Her  bow  and 
stern  were  sharp,  her  sides  plated  with  railroad  iron,  and  a 
terrible  prow  of  cast-iron  enabled  her  to  perforate  the 
sides  of  an  enemy.  She  had  six  heavy  guns,  and  was  com- 
manded by  Captain  J.  N.  Brown,  a  man  of  great  daring  and 
<kill  in  naval  combats.  As  the  ram  lay  in  the  Yazoo  river, 
not  far  from  where  it  joins  the  Mississippi,  Commodore 
IParragut  sent  Captai  i  F<let  up  the  Yazoo,  with  two  Union 


224  REBEL   RAM    ARKANSAS. 

gunboats,  the  Carondelet  and  Queen  of  the  West,  and  a 
battering  ram,  the  Lancaster.  The  object  was  to  prevent 
the  rebel  ram  from  aiding  the  people  of  Vicksburg,  who 
were  waiting  for  her  auxiliary  efforts  in  the  defence  of 
that  city.  Colonel  Ellet  sailed  up  the  narrow  river  Yazoo 
some  eight  miles,  when  the  Arkansas  attacked  him  with  her 
heavy  guns.  The  Federal  boats  dropped  down  the  river 
to  get  more  sea  room,  and  the  Arkansas  promptly  followed, 
keeping  «p  her  fire.  The  Union  vessels  and  the  ram  had 
reached  a  place  near  the  mouth  of  the  Yazoo.  In  an  at- 
tempt by  the  Carondelet  to  grapple  with  and  board  the  ram, 
the  latter  opened  her  steam  pipe,  and  deluged  the  boardera 
with  steam  and  hot  water.  The  Carondelet  did  likewise, 
and  in  this  singular  encounter  both  ran  aground.  While 
the  Carondelet  remained  grounded,  the  Arkansas,  more  for- 
tunate, was  able  to  free  herself;  and  escaping,  she  continued 
her  way  to  Vicksburg.  She  had  to  run  the  gauntlet  of  the 
Union  fleet,  however,  before  reaching  that  place.  She  passed 
the  Louisville  without  inflicting  or  receiving  much  damage. 
Her  shots  in  the  encounter  with  this  vessel,  pierced  the  side 
of  the  latter.  One  of  her  shot  perforated  the  Benton,  and 
killed  one  man.  In  her  course,  the  Cairo,  Hartford,  Rich- 
mond, and  three  gunboats  attacked  her  in  succession,  but 
she  reached  her  destination  with  trifling  injury,  and  was 
hailed  by  the  rebel  forces  with  the  greatest  enthusiasm.  The 
rebel  Generals  Breckinriclge  and  Van  Dorn,  at  that  time  com- 
manded the  troops  in  Vicksburg.  The  Union  loss  in  these 
engagements,  was  fourteen  killed  and  fifteen  wounded.  The 
escape  of  the  Arkansas  through  the  Federal  fleet,  was  not 
flattering  to  the  Union  commanders,  and  the  latter,  on  other 
occasions,  strove  to  recover  their  lost  laurels  by  more  ener- 
getic attacks  upon  the  enemy. 

Among  the  spirited  actions  which  at  this  time  occurred 
in  the  southwest,  was  a  guerilla  fight  on  July  15th,  at 
Memphis,  Missouri.  The  combat  was  between  a  part  of 
Colonel  Merritt's  cavalry,  three  hundred  strong,  together  with 
a  detachment  from  Major  Rodgers'  battalion  of  one  hundred 
men,  and  the  lawless  rebel  bands  of  Dunn  and  Porter,  six 
hundred  strong.  At  the  commencement  of  the  action,  the 
enemy  were  concealed  in  heavy  brush  and  timber.  Major 
Clopper,  at  the  head  of  the  little  band  before  mentioned, 
attacked  th  ?rn  with  resolution,  and  drove  them  from  their 


ANOTHER    ANTI-SLAVERY    MESSAGE.  228 

position  ;  and  after  six  desperate  hand  to  hand  assaults, 
forced  them  from  the  field,  on  which  they  left  a  large  num- 
ber of  dead  and  wounded.  This  blow  was  a  destructive 
one  to  the  guerillas,  who  lost  one  hundred  and  twenty  men 
in  the  action.  The  Union  loss  was  eighty  killed  and 
wounded. 

On  July  16th,  John  Morgan,  the  rebel  marauder,  crossed 
the  Kentucky  river  from  Lawrenceburg,  with  one  thousand 
men,  and  approached  Paris,  Kentucky.  Intelligence  of  this 
movement  reached  Lexington,  and  General  Green  Clay 
Smith  proceeded  to  attack  him  with  a  body  of  cavalry  infe- 
rior to  him  in  numbers.  Having  assaulted  the  position  of 
the  guerilla  chief,  the  latter,  after  a  slight  resistance,  fled. 
The  fleet  horses  which  these  guerillas  had  stolen,  bore  them 
safely  beyond  pursuit,  and  proceeding  to  Winchester,  in 
Clarke  county,  they  purposed  there  to  increase  their 
numbers. 

The  Emancipation  Act,  after  passing  both  Houses  of  Con- 
gress, was  approved  by  President  Lincoln  on  the  17th  of 
July.  This  act  was  in  pursuance  of  the  vigorous  measures 
of  the  administration,  to  destroy  rebellion  in  the  rebel  States 
by  every  lawful  means  possible. 

The  substance  of  this  act  provided,  that  whoever  should 
thereafter  be  guilty  of  treason  against  the  United  States, 
should  either  suffer  death,  or  be  fined  and  imprisoned,  and 
his  slaves,  if  he  have  any,  should  be  declared  free  ;  and  also, 
that  if  any  person  should  in  any  way  encourage  and  assist 
the  existing  rebellion,  he  should  be  fined  'and  imprisoned, 
and  his  slaves,  if  he  have  any,  should  be  set  free  ;  that  no 
person  thus  aiding  the  rebellion,  should  thereafter  be  able 
to  collect  debts  which  might  be  due  him  in  the  loyal  States, 
or  in  the  District  of  Columbia;  that  the  slaves  of  rebels 
should  be  free,  and  that  no  fugitive  slave  who  had  escaped, 
should  be  restored  to  his  master,  unless  the  loyalty  of  the 
latter  to  the  Federal  Government  could  be  proved,  and  that 
he  had  not  in  any  way  aided  the  rebellion  against  it.  By 
this  act,  the  President  could  employ  negroes  in  suppressing 
the  rebellion,  and  make  provision  for  the  settlement  and 
colonization  of  such  of  the  slaves  as,  having  received  freedom 
by  the  provisions  of  this  act,  might  desire  to  locate  then? 
selves  beyond  the  limits  of  the  United  States.  This  act  was 
doubtless  a  heavy  blow  to  the  insurgents,  as  well  as  in  the 
moat  perfect  accord  ince  with  abstract  justice. 


226  ATTACK   ON   THE   REBEL    RAM   ARKANSAS. 

In  North  Carolina,  a  large  portion  of  the  forces  unde* 
General  Burnside  had  been  sent  from  Newbern  to  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac,  under  McClellan.  The  troops  who  re 
mained,  were  now  placed  under  General  John  G.  Foster, 
lie  sent  two  expeditions,  on  the  29th  of  July,  inland  from 
Newbern,  for  the  double  purpose  of  ascertaining  the  strength 
of  the  enemy,  and  of  proving  the  efficiency  of  the  Federal 
troops  yet  remaining.  One  detachment,  under  Colonel  Lee, 
was  sent  to  Trenton,  on  the  Trent  river ;  the  other,  com- 
manded by  Colonel  Fellows,  to  Pollocksville,  thirteen  milea 
from  Newbern.  The  detachment  under  Colonel  Lee,  had 
an  encounter  with  some  rebel  pickets,  who  fled.  A  pursuit 
by  some  of  the  Third  New  York  cavalry  was  made.  The 
fleeing  rebels  fired  the  bridge  across  the  Trent;  the 
flames  were  quenched  by  the  pursuers,  who  occupied  the 
nearly  deserted  town,  and  after  refreshing  themselves,  re- 
turned and  joined  the  force  under  Colonel  Fellows  at  Pol- 
locksville. This  town  was  also  found  evacuated ;  and  on 
the  third  day  after  setting  out,  the  forces  returned  to  New- 
bern. 

The  triumph  of  the  rebel  ram  Arkansas,  which  escaped 
from  the  Federal  fleet  and  reached  Yicksburg,  had  a  demor- 
alizing effect  on  the  Union  troops,  and  injured  the  cause. 
To  counteract  this,  Lieutenant-colonel  A.  W.  Bllet  proposed 
to  Commodore  Davis  to  attack  her  again  with  the  steam 
ram  Queen  of  the  "West,  on  the  stipulation  that  while  thus 
engaged,  Commodores  Davis  and  Farragut  should  engage  the 
rebel  batteries  above  and  below  Vicksburg,  and  prevent 
their  disabling  or  injuring  his  vessel.  The  proposition  was 
acceded  to,  and  Ellet  manned  the  ram  with  a  selected  crew, 
July  27th.  On  passing  the  flag-ship  of  Commodore  Davis, 
the  latter  waved  his  hand  and  cried  "good  luck,"  which, 
being  misinterpreted  for  an  order  to  "  go  back,"  Ellet  was 
some  time  in  rectifying  the  mistake. 

On  reaching  the  Arkansas,  the  shore  batteries  opened  fire 
upon  the  Queen  of  the  West  with  great  fury,  and  the  strength 
of  the  current  against  which  she  had  now  to  encounter  the 
rebel  ram,  lessened  the  precision  and  force  of  her  blow, 
Little  damage,  therefore,  was  inflicted  on  the  enemy.  Colonel 
Ellet  now  found  a  rapid  retreat  the  only  way  of  escape.  He 
had  to  run  the  fire  of  four  batteries.  Steaming  up  the  river, 
the  Queen  of  the  West  was  in  a  critical  situation ;  she  had 


CREATION    OF   NEW   GRADES   IN    THE    NAVY.  227 

Already  received  twenty-five  shots  ;  balls  had  penetrated  hei 
smoke  stack,  and  one  carried  oft'  a  steam  pipe.  As  Colonel 
Ellet  lay  flat  on  his  back,  several  heavy  shot  passed  over 
his  head.  The  pilot  house  was  pierced  by  a  fifty  pound 
shot,  which  the  helmsman  very  narrowly  escaped.  When 
the  vessel  reached  a  point  beyond  the  range  of  the  rebel 
guns,  she  was  found  to  be  considerably  damaged,  with  sev- 
eral of  her  crew  wounded,  and  her  whole  fabric  resembled  a 
wreck.  The  heroism  of  this  gallant  officer  and  his  crew 
has  never  been  surpassed. 

The  importance  of  the  navy  in  suppressing  the  rebellion, 
caused  a 'new  arrangement  in  the  grades  in  the  service,  by 
which  those  who  had  distinguished  themselves  would  have 
a  fairer  opportunity  of  promotion,  and  higher  dignities  were 
conferred  on  the  meritorious  veteran  commander*. 


CHAPTER 
AUGUST,  1862. 

rum  OF  THE  CAMPA'GNIN  VIRGINIA — POPE  MASSES  ATCULPEPPKR — BATTI  • 

OF  CKOAR  MOUNTAIN — HEROISM  OF  CRAWFORD'S  BRIGADE — GALLANTRY 
OF  BArfrfB,  CRAWFORD,  AND  OTHER  GENERALS — BUFORD  PURSUES  TUB 
EN4MT — 1>RAYH  OF  LIEUTENANT  DUTTON — LEE*S  DESIGNS — IMMINENT 
DANGER  OF  POP» — ATTEMPT  TO  TURN  THE  UNION  RIGHT — ATTACK  ON 

CATLETT'S  STATION — DEATH  or   GENERAL  BOHLEN — FIGHT    AT  KETTLE 

RUN — THE  ENFMT  CROSS  THE  RIVER — THEIR  POSITION — MCCLELLAN'fl 
TARDINESS  IN  REINFORCING  POPK — THE  LATTER  AT  MANASSAS — PLAN 
AND  BATTLE  OF  MANASSAS — DISOBEDIENCE  TO  ORDERS  OF  FITZ  JOHN 
PORTER — BRAVERY  AND  DEATH  OF  COLONEL  KOLTE8 — RETREAT  OF  POPE 
0*  CENTREVILLE — DEATH  OF  GENERALS  STF.VEN8  AND  KEARNEY — THH 
ABMIE8  WITHIN  THE  DEFENCES  OF  WASHINGTON — POPE  RESIGNS  BIB 
COMMAND — CHARGES  AGAINST  PORTER. 

THE  task  assigned  to  the  Army  of  Virginia,  under  Genera. 
Pope,  was  exceedingly  important  and  hazardous.  This  duty 
consisted  in  the  defence  of  Washington,  keeping  guard  in 
the  Shenandoah  valley,  making  bold  efforts  on  the  northern 
approaches  of  Richmond,  and  preventing  the  rebel  army 
from  .attacking  McClellan  at  Harrison's  Landing.  By  car- 
rying out  these  designs,  the  troops  of  the  latter  could  be 
removed  from  the  banks  of  the  James  in  safety,  and  combin- 
ing with  the  Army  of  Virginia,  the  Federal  capital  would  be 
secure,  whilst  the  combined  forces  could  move  on  a  new  line 
against  Richmond. 

The  order  of  evacuation  from  Harrison's  Landing  was 
not  complied  with  promptly.  On  the  14th  of  August,  eleven 
days  later  than  the  order  for  the  removal  of  the  army  to 
Aequia  creek,  the  evacuation  began.  This  delay  cost  the 
nation  millions  of  treasure,  and  the  loss  of  thousands  of  as 
brave  men  as  ever  stood  up  iu  the  ranks  of  war. 

There  was  great  apprehension  that  ere  McClellan  could 
k»in  the  array  of  Virginia,  the  rebels  would  march  heavy 
forces  on  Washington,  which  would  place  Pope  in  great 
peril.  If  the  latter  general  should  meet  with  a  defeat, 
Washington  might  fall.  The  removal  of  the  army  of 
McClellan  was  all  important ;  his  remarkable  want  of 
promptitude  was  therefore  very  mysterious. 
(22S) 


BATTLE   OF   CEDAR   MOUNTAIN.  229 

The  public  were  kept  ignorant  of  the  true  state  of  affairs, 
and  those  better  informed  became  very  anxious.  Pope's 
army  was  chiefly  stationed  at  Culpepper,  and  at  Fredericks- 
burg.  On  the  7th  of  August,  he  learned  that  the  rebels  in 
large  force  were  crossing  the  Kapidan  at  several  points. 
The  Federal  army,  only  twenty-eight  thousand  strong,  ex 
lended  along  this  river.  The  troops  who  had  been  sent  out 
on  reconnoissances,  were  now  recalled  to  Culpepper.  On 
Friday,  the  8th,  General  S.  W.  Crawford's  brigade,  of  Gen- 
eral Banks'  corps,  was  sent  to  Cedar  or  Slaughter  mountain, 
to  hold  the  enemy  in  check;  General  Crawford  was  joined 
early  on  Saturday  morning  by  General  Banks,  with  his 
corps  of  seven  thousand  men. 

Cedar  mountain  is  situated  near  Culpepper.  On  Thursday 
morning,  August  7th,  "  Stonewall"  Jackson,  at  the  head  of  a 
large  rebel  force,  having  crossed  the  Rapidan,  took  up  a 
strong  position  on  this  mountain.  General  Banks  was  sent 
to  arrest  his  further  advance,  and  General  Sigel  was  hastening, 
by  forced  marches,  to  the  support  of  the  Union  general. 
The  heavy  woods  concealed  the  rebels  in  their  strong  in- 
trenchments  on  the  mountain,  and  on  the  afternoon  of  the  9th 
of  August  they  emerged  from  the  woods,  and  made  an  attack 
on  General  Banks  in  great  force,  with  a  terrible  fire  of 
artillery  and  musketry. 

General  Crawford's  brigade,  consisting  of  the  Forty-sixth 
Pennsylvania,  Tenth  Maine,  Twenty-eighth  New  York,  and 
Fifth  Connecticut  regiments,  was  conspicuous  in  this  bloody 
combat,  in  which  the  noblest  heroism  was  displayed.  General 
Crawford  drew  up  his  men  in  line  of  battle  on  the  edge  of 
the  woods,  looking  to  the  south.  Before  them  was  a  large 
wheat  field  newly  harvested,  and  the  shocks  ot  grain  yet 
standing.  The  ground  toward  the  south  sloped  down  gently 
to  a  ravine,  beyond  which  rose  abruptly  the  thickly  wooded 
sides  of  Cedar  mountain,  which  were  swarming  with  the 
enemy,  who  occupied  a  position  more  commanding  than  that 
of  the  Union  forces.  The  fight  at  first  was  with  artillery 
alone,  at  the  distance  of  a  mile.  The  additional  batteries 
which  were  brought  to  bear  on  the  patriots,  made  the  concen- 
trated fire  so  deadly,  that  it  was  determined  to  attempt  their 
capture  by  a  bayonet  charge. 

At  six  o'clock  ±e  order  was  given,  and  the  brave  troopa 
moved  gallantly  t  n  at  <i  double-quick.     A  terrible  fire  from 
20 


230  BATTLE   OF   CEDAR   MOUNTAIN. 

the  batteries  swept  their  ranks.  Onward  they  still  pressed, 
beneath  the  grape  and  canister  hurled  upon  them  in  their 
exposed  position;  the  dead  and  wounded  strewing  the  path 
behind  them.  Cheering,  they  gained  the  woods  through 
the  deadly  volleys  which  assailed  them,  when  up  sprang  an 
overpowering  rebel  force  from  the  brushwood,  pouring  in  a 
point  blank  fire  so  deadly,  as  to  compel  their  retreat.  Night 
ended  the  bloody  struggle,  in  which  seven  thousand  men 
had  contended  with  fifteen  thousand.  Both  sides  claimed 
the  victory.  The  Union  loss  was  fifteen  hundred ;  that  of 
the  rebels  twenty-five  hundred.  In  the  beautiful  autumnal 
night  lay  the  combatants  in  line  of  battle,  resting  on  their 
arms.  Groans  of  agony  rose  from  the  poor  wounded  sol- 
diers, who  could  receive  no  succor  as  they  lay  extended  on 
that  bloody  field,  while  a  full  moon  was  illuminating  a  scene 
diversified  by  green  fields,  mountains,  and  woods. 

The  weak  Union  lines  were  reinforced  at  midnight. 
Generals  Pope,  Banks,  and  Sigel  bivouacked  on  a  hill,  which 
commanded  the  scene  of  the  late  bloody  conflict.  The  rebel 
sharpshooters  annoyed  their  rest  by  a  sudden  attack,  which 
forced  them  to  leave  the  spot.  Both  armies  were  too  much 
exhausted  the  next  day  to  renew  the  battle,  and  reinforce- 
ments having  arrived  to  support  the  Union  troops,  the  enemy 
saw  that  the  hope  of  breaking  their  line  was  desperate. 
Monday,  the  llth,  was  spent  in  the  sad  office  of  burying  the 
dead,  and  attending  to  the  wounded.  The  enemy  left  many 
of  their  slain  uninterred,  and  their  wounded  in  the  care  of  the 
Union  soldiers.  Their  retreating  columns  were  pursued  by 
General  John  Buford,  with  cavalry  and  artillery,  beyond 
the  Rapidan. 

The  official  report  of  General  Pope  speaks  volumes  for 
the  gallant  heroes  of  this  fight.  He  says,  "The  behavior 
of  General  Banks'  corps  during  the  action,  was  very  fine. 
No  greater  gallantry  and  daring  could  be  exhibited  by  any 
troops.  I  cannot  speak  too  highly  of  the  ceaseless  intrepid- 
ity of  General  Banks  himself,  during  the  whole  of  the 
engagement.  He  was  in  the  front,  and  exposed  as  much  aa 
any  man  in  the  command.  His  example  was  of  the  greatest 
benefit,  and  should  receive  the  commendation  of  his  Govern 
ment.  Generals  "Williams,  Augur,  Gorman,  Crawford, 
Prince,  Green,  and  Geary,  behaved  with  conspicuous  gallant- 
•j.  J  desire  to  exprea »  my  appreciation  of  the  prompt  and 


GENERAL   LEE?S   DESIGNS.  281 

skilful  mannei  in  which  Generals  McDowell  and  Sige* 
brought  forward  their  respective  commands,  and  established 
them  on  the  field,  and  for  their  cheerful  and  hearty  co-ope- 
ration with  me  from  beginning  to  end.  Brigadier-general 
Roberts,  chief  of  cavalry,  was  conspicuous  for  his  gallantry. 
Generals  Auger  and  Geary  were  wounded  in  this  fight,  and 
General  Prince  and  staff  captured." 

Among  the  patriots  who  fell,  was  Lieutenant  Henry  M. 
Dutton,  son  of  Governor  Dutton,  of  Connecticut.  This  young 
man,  in  early  life,  had  become  a  disciple  of  the  Saviour. 
History  has  presented  to  view  few  scenes  more  sad,  than  the 
vision  of  the  venerable  father  of  this  young  man4  a  few  days 
after  the  battle,  wandering  over  this  field  in  the  unavailing 
endeavor  to  find  the  remains  of  this,  his  beloved  and  only 
son. 

The  enemy,  by  this  advance  across  the  Rapidan,  had  tested 
the  spirit  and  discipline  of  Pope's  army.     It  was  the  prelude 
to  a  movement  of  Lee  with  his  whole  force,  numbering  ova 
one  hundred  thousand  men.     He  had  formed  the  design  ov 
destroying  Pope,  before  McClellan  could  reinforce  him. 

Several  despatches  of  the  enemy,  being  intercepted  on  theit 
way  to  General  Stuart,  disclosed  the  great  strength  of  the 
rebels.  Pope  had  but  thirty  thousand  men  to  meet  them 
They  were  now  advancing  by  forced  marches  on  the  Rapi 
dan,  and  by  the  18th,  stood  confronted  with  the  Union  army, 
in  a  line  extending  from  Raccoon  ford  to  Liberty  mills.  It 
was  necessary  for  General  Pope  to  manoeuvre,  so  as  to  gain 
time  till  the  reinforcements  which  he  expected  should  arrive. 
On  the  14th,  a  portion  of  Burnside's  command,  under  General 
Reno,  came  up  from  Falmouth.  The  enemy  collected  in 
such  force  on  the  Rapidan,  on  the  18th,  as  compelled  the 
Union  army  to  fall  back  to  the  Rappahannock,  which  was 
effected  without  loss.  The  Union  position  was  behind  the 
north  fork  of  the  river.  The  left  wing  held  Kelly's  f6rd,  and 
the  right  rested  on  the  Orange  and  Alexandria  railroad, 
three  miles  above  Rappahannock  Station. 

On  the  morning  of  the  20th,  the  enemy  drove  in  the  Fed- 
eral pickets,  and  attempted  to  cross  the  river  at  Kelly's  ford 
To  keep  up  the  communication  with  Fredericksburg  was 
important,  as  by  that  route  McCleJan  was  expected  with  his 
divisions  On  the  21st  and  22d,  the  enemy  persistently 
attempted  to  cros*.  Their  endeavors  were  successfully  re 


232  ENEMY  CROSS   THE    RAFPAHANNOCK. 

sisted,  and  they  proceeded  slowly  up  the  river  to  turn  the 
Union  right,  under  General  Sigel.  On  the  22d,  they 
made  a  bold  charge  near  Catlett's  Station,  in  the  rear  of 
Pope's  army,  on  part  of  the  baggage  and  supply  trains.  The 
Purnell  Legion  and  the  Bucktail  regiment  bravely  resisted 
awhile,  but  at  last  were  compelled  to  give  way.  The  enemy 
captured  a  passenger  train,  and  a  number  of  wagons  contain- 
ing the  private  stores  of  Generals  Pope  and  McDowell.  Some 
papers  of  General  Pope's,  of  little  importance,  shared  the  same 
fate.  They  also  captured  a  large  number  of  horses.  This  raid 
of  General  Stuart,  caused  the  Union  officers  great  mortifica- 
tion. In  this  action,  Colonel  Kane,  of  the  Bucktails,  and 
Colonel  Myers,  of  General  Pope's  staff,  were  distinguished ; 
the  former  was  captured,  but  ultimately  escaped. 

Meanwhile,  the  enemy  was  moving  his  main  body  across 
the  Rappahannock.  During  the  night  of  the  21st  of  A  ugust, 
great  numbers  crossed  on  the  pontoon  bridge  which  they 
had  constructed,  between  Waterloo  and  Rappahannock 
Stations.  The  storm  of  canister  from  Sigel's  guns  destroyed 
hundreds  of  them  in  the  passage,  and  compelled  their  retreat. 
The  next  morning,  a  brigade  was  ordered  by  Sigel  to  cross 
the  river  to  drive  in  the  enemy's  pickets,  and  make  an  attack. 
Reinforcements  came  up  on  the  side  of  the  enemy,  however, 
which  compelled  a  retreat  of  the  Union  troops,  with  the  loss 
of  many  killed;  and  a  number  of  prisoners.  In  this  unfor- 
tunate affair,  the  gallant  General  Bohlen  was  killed.  The 
several  skirmishes  which  thus  took  place,  occasioned  con- 
siderable loss  of  life  on  both  sides  ;  they  were  but  the 
prelude  to  the  more  important  engagements  at  hand. 

The  Confederate  generals,  notwithstanding  the  resistance 
with  which  they  were  encountered  by  portions  of  the  Union 
army,  transferred  their  troops  gradually  across  the  river, 
and  marched  on  Manassas.  The  object  of  Pope  in  opposing 
the  passage,  was  to  give  McClellan  time  to  bring  up  hia 
troops  before  a  general  action  should  take  place.  The  Com- 
mander-in-chief  ordered  the  latter  to  march  forward  at  once 
nnd  not  wait  for  transportation.  McClellan,  however  dis- 
played great  tardiness,  and  thus,  without  any  assistance  from 
the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  Pope  was  obliged  to  encounter 
the  immense  rebel  army  massed  against  him. 

Generals  Lee  and  Longstreet  had  been  occupying  PopeV 
retention,  until  Jackson  and  Ewell  should  get  in  his  rear 


POPE   AT   MANASSAS.  238 

A.S  goon  as  the  Union  commander  perceived  this  design,  ht 
withdrew  his  forces  from  Warrenton,  and  ordered  McDowell, 
with  his  own  troops  and  those  of  Sigel,  to  march  to  Gaines- 
ville. Heintzelman  and  Rene  were  also  ordered  to  proceed 
to  the  latter  place,  and  Pope  marched  in  haste,  with  the 
columns  of  Porter  and  Hooker,  to  Manassas.  At  Kettle- 
Run,  Hooker  encountered  the  rebels,  and  defeated  them  in  a 
•pirited  action. 

Jackson,  in  the  meantime,  with  Lee,  Ewell,  and  Longstreet, 
had  sent  a  large  body  of  troops  through  Thoroughfare  Gap 
and  taken  a  position  in  Pope's  rear.  The  latter  ordered 
McDowell  and  Sigel  to  attack  the  enemy  in  their  front. 
Hooker  was  instructed  to  attack  and  drive  back  the  forces 
at  Bristow  Station.  Pope  recovered  his  position,  and  once 
more  gained  the  rebel  rear,  while  his  front  faced  Washing- 
ton. He  gained  possession  of  Manassas  on  Thursday  night, 
August  28th,  and  massed  his  troops,  who  were  now  fifty 
thousand  strong,  in  such  a  manner  as  to  enable  him  to 
assail  the  enemy  with  a  prospect  of  success.  A  conflict  of 
great  magnitude  was  impending,  and  a  victory  on  one  side 
or  the  other,  was  expected  to  decide  the  fate  of  the  Repub- 
lic. In  all  human  probability,  had  McClellan  cast  the 
weight  of  his  legions  into  the  scale,  at  this  juncture,  it 
would  have  preponderated  in  a  decisive  Union  victory,  and 
a  Waterloo  defeat  to  the  Confederate  forces. 

The  troops  now  occupied  the  scene  of  the  Bull  Run  battle 
field.  Here  the  noble  patriots  had  bled  and  died  for  their 
country.  No  one  can  witness  this  field  without  deep  and 
mingled  emotions.  Another  great  battle  on  this  hallowed 
ground,  was  now  about  to  be  fought.  The  most  emphatic  tele- 
grams were  sent  by  General  Halleck  to  McClellan,  to  push 
forward  reinforcements  to  the  aid  of  Pope.  One  on  Thurs- 
day the  28th,  at  three  and  a-half  o'clock  p.  M.,  was  as 
follows : 

"  Not  a  moment  must  be  lost  in  pushing  as  large  a  force 
as  possible  toward  Manassas,  so  as  to  communicate  with 
Pope  before  the  enemy  is  reinforced." 

In  answer  to  a  telegram  from  McClellan,  Halleck  replies 
at  about  eight  and  a-half  o'clock  P.  M.,  the  same  day . 

"There  must  be  no  further  delay  in  moving  Franklin'! 
iorps  toward  Manassas.  They  must  go  to-morrow  morning 
ready  or  not  ready.  If  there  is  a  want  of  wagors,  the  men 
muit  carry  provisions  with  them  till  the  wagons  come." 


234  PLAN   AND    BATTLE    OF    MAXASSAS. 

The  arrangements  made  by  General  Pope  to  meet  the 
enemy  were  well  considered.  McDowell,  Sigel,  and  Rey- 
nolds, posted  their  troops  at  Gainesville ;  those  of  Kearney 
and  Reno  were  stationed  at  Greenwich,  and  Hooker  held 
the  railroad  toward  Thoroughfare  Gap.  Sigel,  who  had  re- 
ceived instructions  to  attack  the  enemy  the  next  morning,  had 
all  the  preparations  completed  On  the  29th,  at  day-dawn,  his 
division  was  formed  in  line  of  battle  near  Bull  Run.  The 
enemy  appeared,  his  left  resting  on  Catharine  creek,  his 
front  toward  Centreville,  his  right  on  the  hills  which  rose 
on  each  side  of  the  Centreville  road,  and  the  centre  occupied 
a  long  range  of  woods.  Important  changes  in  the  position 
of  his  troops  were  made  by  Sigel  to  correspond  with  those 
of  the  enemy,  and  at  six  and  a-half  o'clock  on  the  morning 
of  the  29th  of  August,  this  memorable  battle  commenced. 

Sigel's  entire  command  was  engaged  with  the  enemy  in 
a  struggle  of  four  hours,  at  the  end  of  which,  Schurtz  and 
Milroy  had  driven  them  back  one  mile,  and  Schenck,  two 
miles  from  their  first  position.  This  exasperated  the  foe, 
who,  at  ten  and  a-half  o'clock,  strove  desperately  to  turn  the 
Union  left.  Heavy  masses  were  hurled  on  the  centre  to 
break  the  Union  lines,  while  an  attempt  was  made  on  each 
wing  to  outflank  them. 

Jackson  saw  that  all  depended  on  his  success  in  this 
stroke  now  aimed.  The  moment  was  critical.  General 
Kearney  fortunately  brought  up  his  troops,  and  took  a 
position  to  the  right  of  Sigel,  while  General  Reno  was 
moving  up  his  troops  by  the  Gainesville  road.  The  rein- 
Ibrcements,  thus  received,  were  soon  needed,  and  had 
scarcely  taken  their  position,  when  a  grand  attack  began 
along  the  whole  line  from  right  to  left.  The  contest  was 
fierce.  The  German  troops  fought  valiantly  and  met  the 
assaults  of  Jackson  with  firmness,  which  rendered  his 
utmost  efforts  useless.  Hooker  reached  the  battle  field  at 
two  o'clock,  and  at  once  ordered  his  troops  to  move  on  the 
enemy.  General  Pope  had  arrived  on  the  field  at  noon, 
a*ad  Sigei  immediately  informed  him  that  his  line  was  weak ; 
that  the  divisions  of  Schurz  and  Stein wehr  were  much  cut 
up,  and  ought  to  be  drawn  back  from  the  front.  General 
Pope  informed  Sigel  that  this  was  utterly  impossible,  as 
there  were  no  troops  to  replace  them ;  that  he  must  hold 
hia  ground,  and  that  his  troops  would  not  again  be  pushed 


DISOBEDIENCE  TO  ORDERS  OF  FITZ  JOHN    PORTER.     235 

into  action,  as  the  corps  of  Porter  and  McDowell  were 
moving  forward  from  Manassas  Junction  on  the  road 
to  Gainesville,  and  mudt  very  soon  be  in  position  to  fall 
upon  the  enemy's  right  flank,  and  probably  upon  his  rear. 
These  expectations,  expressed  almost  in  Pope's  own  words, 
were  not  realized. 

It  was  now  four  o'clock  p.  M,  and  until  six  tte  com 
batants  kept  up  a  vigorous  contest.  An  attack  on  thf, 
extreme  left  of  the  enemy  by  General  Kearney,  forced  them 
to  retire,  and,  at  this  point,  was  gained  the  greatest  advan- 
tage of  the  day.  Part  of  General  McDowell's  corps 
reached  the  field  at  six  o'clock.  The  battle,  which  had  con- 
tinued ten  hours,  had  now  ended,  with  a  general  result 
favorable  to  the  Union  troops,  who  had  driven  back  the 
enemy. 

The  battle  was  yet  indecisive  and  must  be  renewed 
Sigel  commanded  the  Union  centre,  Banks  the  right,  and 
McDowell  the  left  wing.  Jackson  was  to  be  kept  by  them 
from  joining  Lee  and  Longstreet  through  Thoroughfare 
Gap ;  to  prevent  which,  Pope  had  determined  on  a  powerftu 
attack  at  all  points,  and,  crushing  the  forces  of  Jackson,  to 
capture  them.  Had  Fitz  John  Porter  promptly  obeyed 
the  orders  issued  by  General  Pope,  Jackson  would  have 
oeen  overthrown  before  Longstreet  could  arrive  to  suppor 
him.  The  orders  were  not  executed  by  General  Porter, 
and  to  his  failure  may  be  attributed  much  of  the  disaster 
which,  on  that  day,  befel  the  Union  army.  The  com- 
manders, on  both  sides  were  on  the  alert  during  the  nighty 
making  such  preparations  as  were  necessary. 

On  the  30th  of  August,  about  noon,  the  battle  began  tc 
rage  with  violence.  The  exhausted  troops  of  both  armies 
were  not  well  able  to  renew  the  combat  earlier.  On  this 
day,  Lee  succeeded  in  advancing  through  Thoroughfare 
Gap,  and  brought  large  reinforcements  to  Jackson  and 
Longstreet.  The  Union  line  of  battle  extended  ten  miles 
across  the  ridges  from  Bull  Run,  and  its  breadth  was  two 
and  a-half  miles.  The  battle  became  general  at  four  o'clock, 
at  which  hour  the  rebels  had  brought  all  their  troops  into 
action.  The  Union  lines  were  attacked  by  the  fierce  onset 
of  the  troops  of  Lee,  Jackson,  Longstreet,  Ewell,  and 
Johnston,  whose  united  strength  was  nearly  one  hundred 
thousand  men.  Their  attacks  were  repelled  with  such 


236       RETREAT  OF  POPE  ON  CENTREV1LL1. 

Buccess  by  the  Federals,  that,  at  five  and  a-half  o'clock 
nothing  decisive  of  the  fate  of  the  day  had  yet  occurred. 
At  that  time,  the  troops  of  McDowell  were  assailed  on  the 
weakest  point  of  their  line.  The  massed  enemy  attacked 
this  portion  of  the  line  with  such  energy  as  to  compel  it  to 
fall  back,  as  it  was  in  danger  of  being  outflanked.  This 
caused  a  change  of  the  position,  though  the  Union  right 
and  centre  retained  that  which  had  been  taken  at  the  com- 
mencement of  the  battle. 

At  one  time,  the  rebels  boldly  advanced,  and  placed  a 
battery  on  a  hill  nearly  on  the  flank  and  isar  of  the  Union 
centre.  To  dislodge  them  was  important,  and  Sigel  sent  up 
three  regiments  for  that  purpose.  This  movement  was  con- 
ducted by  ColonelJohn  M.  Koltes,  an  officer  distinguished  in 
the  Mexican  war,  who  combined  undaunted  bravery  with 
many  amiable  qualities.  The  heroic  leader  led  on  his  brig- 
ade with  gallant  resolution.  Six  attempts  had  failed,  when, 
animating  his  brave  but  decimated  troops,  he  waved  his 
sword,  and  cried  to  the  Seventy -third  regiment,  "  Once  more, 
my  brave  men,  for  the  honor  of  Pennsylvania!"  They 
were  his  last  words.  Struck  with  the  fragment  of  a  shell, 
he  fell  dead  from  his  horse.  He  was  indeed  a  loss  to  his 
country,  being  universally  lamented.  The  movement  had 
failed.  Pope  now  saw  that  the  rebel  hosts  became  more 
insolent  and  desperate  every  hour,  and  that  victory  waa 
rendered  hopeless.  The  battle  ended  with  the  day,  and  the 
Union  columns  during  the  following  night  retreated  to 
Gentreville,  where  Generals  Franklin  and  Sumner  came  up 
with  reinforcements.  The  whole  Union  army  bivouacked 
at  Centreville,  and  watched  the  further  motions  of  the 
rebels.  We  have  already  stated  that  hai  McClellan  rein- 
forced Pope  sooner,  victory,  and  not  defeat,  would  most 
probably  have  been  the  result. 

Fears  were  now  entertained  that  the  insolent  foe  would 
press  on  with  more  vigor,  and  follow  up  his  advantage,  ex- 
ulting in  the  not  unreasonable  hope  of  being  able  to  plun- 
der the  opulent  cities  of  the  North.  On  Sunday,  August  31st 
no  important  movement  was  made  by  either  army.  The 
losses  on  both  sides  were  heavy ;  the  troops  too  much  ex- 
hausted with  the  fatigues  of  battle ;  and  rest  was  therefore 
rendered  necessary. 

On  the  following  day,  the  rebels  were  massing  troops  on 


DEATH   OF   GENERALS    STEVENS   AND   KEARNEY.      237 

the  road  to  Fairfax  Court  House.  The  intention  was  the 
capture  of  the  wagon  trains,  some  of  which  had  been 
already  taken. 

An  engagement  had  already  taken  place  between  the 
enemy  and  the  troops  commanded  by  Generals  Stevens  and 
Reno,  when  in  execution  of  orders  to  attack  and  repulse  the 
enemy,  Kearney  reached  the  scene  of  conflict  with  a  por- 
tion of  Heintzelman's  corps.  General  Stevens  had  been 
killed,  and  his  troops  had  exhausted  their  ammunition,  and 
wore  retiring  from  the  field.  Kearney  advanced,  and  at 
once  closed  in  conflict  with  the  foe.  A  terrible  action  then 
took  place,  and  the  enemy  were  driven  back  several  miles, 
fighting  as  they  retired,  and  charged  upon  gallantly  by  the 
Union  troops.  The  retreat  of  the  forces  of  General  Stevens 
had  left  a  gap  in  the  Federal  lines  which  greatly  endan- 
gered them.  General  Kearney  went  to  examine  the  ground, 
unattended,  and  fell  the  victim  of  a  rebel  sharpshooter. 
The  next  morning  the  remains  of  this  heroic  soldier  were 
brought  in  with  a  flag  of  truce.  The  loss  of  twp  such  gal- 
lant soldiers  as  Kearney  and  Stevens  was  a  public  calamity. 
General  Birney  took  command  of  Kearney's  troops,  who  held 
the  field  which  their  valor  had  recovered  from  the  enemy, 
until  three  o'clock  next  morning,  when  they  returned  to  near 
Fairfax  Court  House.  Chantilly,  three  miles  from  Centre- 
ville,  was  the  scene  of  this  engagement.  A  bold  flank 
movement  of  the  enemy  had  placed  them  between  Pope  and 
Washington. 

The  retreat  of  the  whole  Union  army  from  Centreville 
to  Fairfax  was  continued  on  the  night  of  Monday  (Septem- 
ber 1st),  and  on  Tuesday  morning  the  rebels  again  took 
possession  of  their  old  defences.  The  retreat  was  continued 
on  the  2d,  and  on  the  3d,  the  grand  armies  of  Virginia  and 
the  Potomac  were  safe  within  the  fortifications  of  Washing- 
ton. The  wounded  were  brought  up  in  ambulances,  which, 
with  the  wagons,  formed  a  long  line  for  miles  on  the  road 
from  Fairfax  to  Alexandria.  The  retreat  was  not  remarka- 
ble for  order,  as  the  officers  had  recently  sustained  great 
fatigues,  and  the  troops  were  dispirited,  and  not  under  strict 
discipline. 

The  campaign  of  General  Pope  in  Virginia  was  now  at 
an  end.  The  causes  which  led  to  disaster,  and  a  retreat  in 
.he  face  of  the  enemy,  have  already  been  stated.  General 


238   RESIGNATION  OF  POPE — CHARGES  AGAINST  PORTER. 

Pope  had  done  all  in  the  power  of  man  to  do  under  the  cir 
cumstances  in  which  he  was  placed.      By  the  combined 
armies  of  Virginia  and  that  of  the  Potomac,  the  disasters 
would  doubtless  have  been  averted,  and  such  a  junction 
would  have  resulted  in  victory. 

Now  they  were  joined,  both  covered  with  defeat — the 
one  from  the  Peninsula,  the  other  from  the  old  field  of  Bull 
Run,  again  the  scene  of  disgrace  to  the  Federal  arms,  and 
mortifying  to  the  nation.  Pope  approximated  the  Federal 
loss,  on  the  29th,  at  from  six  to  eight  thousand  killed  and 
wounded. 

When  the  army  returned  within  the  works  at  Washing- 
ton, General  Pope  resigned  his  command,  and  the  request 
made  by  him  to  be  transferred  to  some  other  post,  was  im 
mediately  complied  with.  He  was  appointed  to  command 
the  Department  of  the  Northwest.  The  territory  within 
this  jurisdiction  had  suffered  much  from  the  cruelties  of 
the  Indians. 

Before  General  Pope  left  Washington,  he  preferred 
charges  against  General  Fitz  John  Porter,  and  other 
officers,  for  disobedience  to  his  orders  at  the  battle  of 
Manassas.  The  chief  charge  against  Porter,  was  the  re 
fusal  of  the  latter  to  march  against  the  enemy  and  join  hi 
troops  with  those  of  Hooker,  at  Kettle  Eun,  on  the  28th  of 
August.  Three  distinct  orders  had  been  sent  Porter,  who 
was  proved,  in  future  investigations,  to  have  entertained  a 
personal  enmity  against  Pope,  and  to  have  censured  his 
mode  of  conducting  the  campaign,  holding  him  up  to  ridi- 
cule by  telegrams  to  his  friends  in  Washington.  The  find- 
ing of  a  court  of  investigation,  was  a  verdict  of  guilty  of  all 
the  charges  against  Porter ;  and  this  being  approved  by  the 
President,  he  was  dismissed  from  the  service,  and  disquali- 
fied for  holding  any  office  of  trust  and  emolument  under 
the  Government  of  the  United  States 


CHAPTER  XXIV, 

AUGUST — SEPTEMBER  1862. 

4ITL»  OF  EAT3N  KOUGK — INCIDENTS  OP  THK  CONFLICT — DKATH  OF 
OKKKRAL  WILLIAMS — EFFICIENT  AID  OF  THE  FEDERAL  GUNBOATS — DU- 
MA! OF  THE  ENEMY— THE  RAM  ARKANSAS  DESTROYED — INDIAN  ATRO- 
CITIES IN  MINNESOTA,  THEIR  DEFEAT  BY  COLONEL  SIBLEY — BATTL1 
HEAR  RICHMOND,  KENTUCKY — GENERAL  NELSON — THE  DISASTER — INVA- 
SION OF  MARYLAND — LEE'S  PROCLAMATION  TO  THE  PEOPLE  OF  THAT 
STATE — GOVERNOR  CURTIN  CALLS  OUT  THE  MILITIA  OF  PENNSYLVANIA 
ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC  IN  MOTION — COLONEL  ELLET  ON  THE  MIS- 
SISSIPPI AND  TAZOO CAPTURE  OF  THE  TRANSPORT  FAIR  PLAY — BAT- 
TLE NEAR  DENMARK,  TENNESSEE — THREATENED  INVASION  OF  OHIO — 
GENERAL  LEWIS  WALLACE — MURDER,  BY  GUERILLAS,  OF  GENERAL  ROBERT 
MCCOOK — BATTLE  OF  SOUTH  MOUNTAIN. 

DURING  the  occurrence  of  these  events,  vital  in  their  im- 
portance to  the  Republic,  the  enemy  was  persevering  with 
great  energy,  in  other  portions  of  the  country,  to  gain  the 
ascendency,  and  at  various  points,  the  war  was  pursued 
with  incessant  vigor.  On  the  5th  of  August,  General  Wil- 
liams had  a  severe  contest  with  the  rebels  under  General 
John  C.  Breckinridge,  at  Baton  Rouge,  Louisiana. 

The  Federals  had  twenty-five  hundred  effective  men.  The 
rebel  force,  about  five  thousand  in  number,  was  detached  from 
the  garrison  at  Vicksburg,  and  when  near  the  Federal  forces, 
drew  up  in  line  of  battle.  The  centre,  where  the  Twenty -first 
Indiana  was  posted,  became  the  point  of  attack,  and  this 
regiment,  with  the  Fourteenth  Maine,  which  had  come  to  its 
support,  was  compelled  to  fall  back.  Pushing  on,  the  rebels 
occupied  a  portion  of  the  deserted  Union  camp.  Having 
plundered  and  burnt  it,  and  gained  possession  of  one  of 
Everett's  guns,  they  were  in  turn  assailed  by  the  Sixth 
Michigan,  with  musketry  and  artillery,  and  the  Indianiana 
having  rallied  and  charged,  the  foe  was  driven  from  the 
camp  and  the  lost  gun  recaptured. 

It  was  in  this  brilliant  charge  that  General  William^ 
leading  his  men  to  victory,  was  mortally  wounded  by  a 
musket  ball  in  the  chest.  With  his  last  expiring  breath,  he 
animated  his  troops.  The  enemy,  meanwhile,  being  hand- 
somely repulsed  on  the  centre,  attacked  the  Sixth  Michigan, 

(239) 


240  THE   REBEL   RAM   ARKANSAS    DESTROYED. 

which  now  occupied  its  original  position.  Attempting  to 
scale  a  high  picket  fence  which  intervened,  the  Federal 
troops  took  aim  from  behind  it,  and  poured  a  volley  in  thei  r 
faces.  The  contest  continued  over  the  fence,  till  the  foe 
tore  it  down,  and  were  repelled.  In  an  hour,  the  rebels 
attempted  to  turn  the  Union  right  wing.  The  troops  re- 
served their  ammunition  until  the  foe  was  within  fifty  paces, 
and  then  a  deadly  musketry  fire  was  freely  interchanged. 
The  Federals  being  driven  back,  quickly  rallied,  and,  aided 
by  a  portion  of  the  Sixth  Michigan,  charged  the  enemy  with 
auch  effect,  that  they  fled  panic  stricken,  leaving  some  pris- 
oners, their  flag,  and  one  cannon,  in  the  hands  of  the  victors. 
The  battle  had  raged  on  other  portions  of  the  line  at  the 
same  time,  and  three  successive  attacks  on  Nim's  battery, 
which  was  supported  by  the  Thirtieth  Massachusetts,  were 
repelled,  with  great  loss  to  the  enemy.  Great  execution 
was  done  by  Everett's  battery,  in  this  engagement ;  Colonel 
Cahill,  who  took  command  of  the  army  after  the  death  of 
General  Williams,  was  particularly  distinguished  for  hi 
skill  and  daring. 

The  rebels  were  disappointed  at  not  receiving  the 
expected  aid  of  the  ram  Arkansas  in  this  action.  When 
the  battle  had  continued  from  four  o'clock  in  the  morning 
until  noon,  the  Federal  gunboats,  Essex,  Sumter,  and  Kineo 
shelled  the  woods  in  which  the  enemy  lay,  and  checked 
their  advance.  The  Union  troops  perhaps  ultimately  owed 
tlieir  safety  to  the  gunboats.  The  designs  of  Breckinridge 
were  frustrated,  and  he  ordered  a  general  retreat.  The  rebel 
General  Clarke  was  slain  in  this  action.  The  Federals  lost 
t\vo  hundred  and  fifty  killed  and  six  hundred  wounded  ;  the 
3nemy's  loss  was  much  greater.  The  rebel  ram  Arkansas  left 
Vicksburg  on  the  3d,  and  when  within  fifteen  miles  of  Batot 
Rouge,  suffered  such  derangement  of  her  machinery  as  unfit 
ted  her  for  action.  Drifting  helplessly  down  the  stream,  she 
finally  grounded,  and  the  day  after  the  battle  the  Federal 
gunboats  opened  fire  on  her.  Lieutenant  Stevens,  in  command, 
ordered  the  crew  to  abandon  her,  and  escape  ashore.  She 
was  then  blown  into  atoms.  Thus  ended  the  career  of  the 
Arkansas. 

The  harmony  which  had  long  existed  between  the  Citi- 
zens of  the  United  States  and  the  Indians  on  the  frontier 
was  at  length  interrupted,  and  in  August  of  this  year 


INDIAN    ATROCITIES   IN    MINNESOTA.  241 

(1862),  the  most  savage  cruelties  were  perpetrated  b/  the 
tribes,  who  introduced  civil  war  in  all  its  horrors.  Discon- 
tent had  arisen  among  them  in  consequence  ol  the  non 
payment  of  money  due  them  by  the  Government,  and  the 
frauds  of  its  agents.  The  Sioux  and  Chippewas  had  been 
cheated  infamously  for  a  number  of  years.  The  rebel 
emissaries  had  stimulated  their  passions,  and  told  them 
Jiat  the  Federal  Government  was  in  confusion,  and  that  the 
present  opportunity  was  propitious  to  their  deliverance  and 
revenge.  The  Indian  insurrection  extended  along  the 
western  border  of  Minnesota,  from  Fort  Ripley  to  tho 
southern  boundary.  The  savages  practiced  the  most  revolt- 
ing cruelties  throughout  the  northwestern  region;  farm- 
houses were  plundered  and  burned,  and  the  inhabitants 
most  cruelly  murdered,  without  respect  to  the  helplessness 
of  women  and  children,  or  the  weakness  of  old  age.  An 
attack  was  made  by  two  hundred  mounted  Indians  on  the 
village  of  New  Ulm,  a  part  of  which  was  burned.  In 
different  attacks,  several  hundreds  were  killed  or  wounded. 
The  people  of  the  town  made  such  defence  as  was  in  their 
power,  but,  had  not  timely  reinforcements  of  men  and  arms 
been  sent  by  the  State  government  at  St.  Paul,  the  whole 
town  would  have  been  laid  in  ashes,  and  the  entire  popula- 
tion massacred.  The  roads  between  New  Ulm  and  the 
different  Sioux  agencies  were  covered  with  the  bodies  of 
men,  women,  and  children,  who  in  attempting  to  escape,  had 
been  brought  down  by  the  rifle,  or  sacrificed  with  the  mur- 
derous tomahawk.  Fort  Ripley,  which  contained  one  hun- 
dred Union  troops,  commanded  by  Lieutenant  Sheehan,  was 
attacked  on  the  20th  of  August  by  a  body  of  Indians  nearly 
one  thousand  strong.  Their  attack  upon  a  detachment  of  the 
garrison  was  met  by  musketry,  and  many  of  the  savages  were 
killed  by  a  shell  which  exploded  among  them.  The  fight 
continued  till  darkness  intervened. 

A  large  body  of  Indians  made  a  second  attack  on  New 
Ulm,  on  the  23d  of  August.  The  place  was  defended  by 
Captain  Flandreau,  with  a  small  force.  The  soldiers  and 
gome  of  the  inhabitants  charged  the  savages  through  the 
streets  of  the  town,  which  was  partly  burned  in  the  conflict. 
The  attack  was  renewed  on  the  24th,  and  lasted  till  noon.  At 
that  hour,  reinforcements  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  men,  under 
Captain  Cox,  sent  by  Colonel  Sibley  to  the  relief  of  the  pUoa, 
21 


242       DEFEAT  OF  THE  INDIANS  BY  COLONEL  SIBLEY. 

arrived.  The  Indians  then  withdrew.  The  place  was 
evacuated,  and  the  inhabitants  began  their  dangerous 
journey  through  the  midst  of  prowling  savages.  Two 
thousand  people  had  to  traverse  a  distance  of  thirty  miles. 
A  wagon  train  carried  the  sick,  wounded,  women  and  chil- 
dren. Escorted  by  Captain  Flandreau  and  his  men  the 
entire  distance,  they  escaped  Avith  their  lives,  but  lost 
their  property,  being  stripped  of  nearly  every  thing. 

Atrocities  by  the  Indians  being  still  committed,  Governor 
Ramsey  called  on  the  militia  of  Minnesota  valley  and  the 
frontier  towns  to  arm,  equip,  and  join  the  expedition  which 
was  about  to  move  up  the  Minnesota  river,  under  Colonel 
Sibley.  The  latter  obtained  one  thousand  infantry  and  three 
hundred  cavalry,  with  such  volunteers  as  might  join,  and 
marched  from  Fort  Ridgely  on  the  19th  of  September.  On 
the  22d  he  reached  Wood  Lake,  near  Yellow  Medicine. 
Various  conflicts  took  place  between  the  Union  troops  and 
a  desperate  band  of  the  savages,  under  Little  Crow,  in  one  of 
which,  at  the  above  named  place,  the  latter  was  utterly 
defeated,  the  insurrection  crushed,  and  peace  once  more 
restored  to  a  country  rendered  desolate  with  all  the  horrors 
of  a  savage  and  relentless  foe. 

The  30th  of  August  was  the  day  on  which  the  Union 
troops  suffered  a  disgraceful  overthrow  at  Eodgersville,  some 
miles  from  Richmond,  Kentucky.  General  M.  D.  Manson 
commanded  the  Federals,  about  eight  thousand  strong,  con 
sistingof  infantry,  cavalry,  and  nine  pieces  of  artillery.  The 
rebel  forces,  fifteen  thousand  strong,  under  General  Kirby 
Smith,  on  the  29th,  having  driven  in  the  Federal  pickets 
from  Big  Hill,  ten  miles  from  Richmond,  were  attacked  by 
General  Manson,  who  halted  at  Rodgersville  during  the 
night.  As  day  dawned,  the  enemy's  pickets  were  encountered. 
A  line  of  battle  was  formed,  and  the  action  soon  became  gen- 
eral. Colonel  Korf,  with  the  Sixty-ninth  Indiana,  being 
ordered  to  support  the  forces  engaged  on  the  left,  performed 
his  duty  with  such  vigor  as  to  repel  the  enemy.  Thei;  over- 
whelming numbers,  however,  forced  back  the  Sixty-ninth. 
Lieutenant-colonel  Topping  and  Major  Conkling  being 
killed,  panic  spread  among  the  Union  troops;  they  fled, 
and  were  pursued  by  the  enemy  two  and  a  half  miles. 
General  Manson  rallied  his  men,  and  restored  the  line  cf 
battle,  artillery  protecting  the  flanks.  The  trooos  were  raw 


INVASION  OF  MA1YLAND.  245 

recruits,  and  soon  broke  and  fled  toward  Richmond.  Major- 
general  Nelson  and  his  officers  rallied  the  fugitives,  and 
again  formed  them  in  line  of  battle.  The  ammunition  was 
found  to  be  exhausted,  and  flight  had  reduced  the  troops  to 
three  thousand  men,  wto  were  now  nearly  surrounded  by 
the  rebels.  The  disorder  increased,  and  the  only  way  of 
escape  was  by  cutting  through  the  rebel  lines.  In  this 
attempt,  General  Nelson  was  wounded  in  the  thigh,  but 
subsequently  reached  Lexington.  The  rebels  pursued  the 
retreating  columns  to  Richmond,  drove  them  from  that 
place,  and  occupied  it.  The  Federals  lost  one  third  their 
entire  force  in  this  battle.  The  forces  under  General  de 
Coursy  made  a  disgraceful  retreat  from  Tazewell  to  Cum- 
berland Gap,  August  9th. 

At  this  stage  of  the  rebellion,  the  Confederate  command 
ers,  seeing  the  success  which  attended  their  arms,  grew 
more  confident  of  their  ultimate  success.  The  defensive 
policy  was  now  abandoned,  the  offensive  assumed,  and 
they  determined  to  invade  the  loyal  States.  They  calcu- 
lated, and  not  without  reason,  that  there  was  a  large 
number  of  persons  in  those  States  who  were  not  indifferent 
to  their  cause.  The  plan  was  deliberately  laid,  as  the 
writer  was  informed  by  number  of  rebel  officers,  while  a 
captive  in  Lynchburg.  The  information  was  communi- 
cated by  him,  on  his  return,  to  the  Governor  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, who  was  somewhat  incredulous. 

The  Confederate  forces  at  Manassas  began  to  move  from 
Fairfax  Court  House,  and  approached  the  Potomac  on  the 
5th  of  September.  They  continued  their  march  through 
Leesburg,  crossing  at  Edwards'  Ferry,  and  at  those  of  Conrad, 
Nolen,  and  Smith.  Proceeding,  they  destroyed  the  bridge 
across  the  Monocacy,  and  their  advance,  under  General 
Hill,  reached  and  occupied  Frederick  on  the  6th.  The 
Point  of  Rocks  and  Poolesville  were  in  their  possession, 
euch  of  the  Federal  property  as  came  within  reach  being 
•eized  or  destroyed.  General  Lee  issued,  on  the  8th,  a 
proclamation  to  the  people  of  Maryland,  promising  to 
protect  their  property ;  and  after  setting  forth  the  imagin- 
ary wrongs  which  that  State  had  endured  at  the  hands  of 
the  Federal  Government,  offered  his  services  and  those  of 
hia  army  to  aid  them  in  the  recovery  op  their  rights  a* 
freemen. 


244         GOVERNOR   ClfRTIN    CALLS   OUT   THE   MILITIJL 

The  inhabitants  of  Maryland  did  not  see  their  wrongs  in 
the  same  light  as  the  Confederate  commander,  and  compar- 
atively few  joined  th<j  standard  of  rebellion.  Few  sympa- 
thized with  the  rebel  cause,  the  majority  regarding  the 
miserable  hordes  with  pity  and  contempt.  Their  ill-clad 
and  wretched  appearance  in  many  instances  excited  mere 
ridicule.  Meanwhile,  the  invasion  itself  was  formidable, 
and  was  not  expected  to  terminate  in  Maryland.  The 
border  counties  of  Pennsylvania  were  in  a  state  of  intense 
excitement.  A  proclamation  was  issued  on  the  10th  of 
September  by  Governor  Curtin,  calling  upon  all  the  able- 
bodied  men  in  the  Commonwealth  to  organize  companies 
and  prepare  to  march  against  the  invaders.  The  militia  of 
the  State  promptly  responded  to  the  call.  The  bustle  of 
military  preparation  was  prevalent  everywhere,  and  each 
patriotic  heart  was  fired  to  meet  and  drive  back  the  foe. 
The  advance  of  the  rebels  from  Frederick  was  through 
Middletown,  Boonesboro,  and  Williamspdrt  to  Ilagcrstown, 
which  was  reached  on  the  9th  of  September.  General 
Alfred  Pleasonton  had  followed  their  rear  with  a  detach- 
ment of  Union  cavalry,  which  occupied  Frederick  upon  its 
abandonment  by  the  enemy,  with  the  intention  of  prevent- 
ing their  return  thither. 

The  Union  troops  and  the  rear-guard  of  the  Confederates 
had  frequent  skirmishes.  On  the  13th,  near  Hagerstown, 
Colonel  Farnsworth,  with  the  Eighth  Illinois  cavalry,  charged 
upon  two  regiments  of  the  enemy  and  captured  forty 
prisoners.  In  an  attack  upon  a  rebel  regiment  in  the 
afternoon  of  the  same  day  by  four  squadrons  of  the  Third 
Indiana  cavalry,  on  the  Middletown  road,  the  Union  loss 
was  thirty  killed  and  wounded,  that  of  the  enemy  fifty.  A 
large  number  of  wagons  were  destroyed  to  prevent  them 
from  falling  into  the  hands  of  the  rebels,  so  fierce  were  the 
attacks  made  upon  the  train. 

General  Burnside,  on  the  14th,  passed  through  Hagers- 
town in  pusuit  of  the  enemy,  and  McClellan  also  moved 
with  his  whole  army  the  same  day  in  that  direction,  leaving 
only  such  troops  as  were  needed  to  defend  Washington. 
The  small  comfort  which  the  enemy  had  received  in  Mary- 
land, and  the  near  approach  of  McClellan,  caused  the  design 
of  invading  Pennsylvania  to  be  relinquished.  Lee  suddenly 
returned,  in  order  to  put  the  Potomac  between  him  atxl  th« 


COL.  ELL.ET   ON   TSE   MISSISSIPPI   AND  YAZOO.         245 

Union  forces,  by  recrossing  at  Harper's  Ferry  and  Williams- 
port.  The  forces  of  McClellan,  however,  were  now  so 
disposed  as  to  prevent  a  retreat  without  a  battle.  The 
Federal  left  wing,  in  pursuing  the  rebels,  had  a  severs 
engagement  with  part  of  their  forces  at  South  Mountain,  on 
September  14th.  This  was  the  precursor  of  the  battle  of 
Antietam,  which  was  a  yet  more  important  contest.  Both 
ghall  be  described  after  noticing  the  events  which  were 
transpiring  elsewhere  at  the  same  period. 

On  the  16th  of  August,  Colonel  Ellett,  who  commanded 
the  Union  ram  fleet  at  Helena,  Arkansas,  undertook  an 
expedition  down  the  Mississippi,  for  the  purpose  of  break- 
ing up  the  long  existing  monotonous  inactivity,  attacking 
the  flotilla  of  the  enemy,  and  destroying,  if  possible,  the 
Star  of  the  West,  which  had  been  fitted  up  as  a  gunboat. 
Seven  rams  and  three  gunboats  formed  the  force  of  the 
expedition,  which  met  nothing  worthy  of  note  till  it  reached 
Milliken's  Bend.  At  this  point,  the  rebel  transport  Fair 
Play,  with  a  cargo  of  five  thousand  stand  of  arms,  besides 
ammunition  and  provisions,  was  encountered,  bound  for 
Little  Rock.  This  vessel  and  her  cargo  fell  into  the  hands 
of  the  Federals.  The  land  forces  being  sent  about  eight 
miles  inland,  destroyed,  at  Richmond  Station,  on  the  Vicks- 
burg  and  Shreveport  railroad,  the  depot,  railway  cars,  and 
a  quantity  of  sugar.  On  returning  to  the  vessels,  they 
continued  down  the  river.  The  mouth  of  the  Yazoo  was 
reached,  and,  sailing  up  that  stream,  earthworks  were  found 
at  Haines  Landing,  which  were  shelled  by  the  Benton. 
The  rebels  abandoned  the  place,  leaving  behind  them  two 
forty-two  pounders,  two  thirty -two  pounders,  several  other 
guns,  and  some  ammunition.  After  destroying  a  portion  of  the 
place,  the  vessels  continued  up  the  river  as  far  as  Liverpt  ol, 
and  then  returned.  Nothing  of  special  interest  occurred  after- 
ward, and  the  expedition  returned  to  Helena,  the  gunboat 
Bragg,  and  the  ram  Monarch,  being  left  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Yazoo,  to  reconnoitre  the  enemy. 

On  the  4th  of  September,  the  Federals  were  victorioui 
in  a  battle  fought  at  Brittan's  Lane,  near  Denmark,  Ten- 
nessee.  The  engagement  took  place  between  an  Illinois 
infantry  regiment,  under  Colonel  Dennie,  and  four  thousand 
Confederates,  under  General  Armstrong.  After  some  skir- 
mishing, the  enemy  ad  van"  ^d  and  the  Union  forces  wer« 


246  THREATENED   INVASION   OP   OHIO. 

drawn  up  on  a  ridge  in  line  of  battle.  After  an  unimpor 
tant  encounter  between  the  rebels  and  a  small  Union  force 
sent  out  to  meet  their  advance,  the  enemy  made  a  charge  on 
the  whole  line,  and  a  simultaneous  movement  on  both  flanks. 
In  the  terrible  struggle  which  ensued,  the  enemy  captured 
the  Union  guns  and  the  supply  train.  The  Thirtieth  Illinois 
ihen  came  into  action,  and  the  Confederates  were  repulsed, 
imt  again  rallied.  A  well  aimed  volley  from  the  Federals 
checked  their  advance.  Subsequently  they  gained  a  hill 
on  the  Union  right,  from  which  they  were  speedily  driven. 
While  thus  engaged,  they  also  attacked  the  Union  left  aad 
centre,  and  were  repulsed  gallantly  in  three  desperate 
charges.  Four  hours  the  battle  had  raged,  when  they 
retreated  and  left  the  Federals  in  possession  of  the  field. 
The  Confederates  lost  in  the  action  one  hundred  and  eleven 
killed  and  four  hundred  wounded ;  the  Federals,  thirty 
killed  and  one  hundred  and  twenty  wounded.  This  victory 
in  the  face  of  such  disparity  of  numbers,  attests  the  valor 
Df  the  Union  troops. 

The  apprehensions  which  were  excited  by  the  expected 
invasion  of  Pennsylvania  were  no  less  felt  in  the  State  of 
Ohio.  Cincinnati  was  placed  in  a  state  of  jeopardy  by  an 
intended  advance  upon  it  of  Generals  Kirby  Smith  and 
Heth.  On  the  2d  of  September,  Governor  Todd,  of  Ohio, 
by  a  proclamation,  after  setting  forth  the  danger  from 
invasion  of  the  southern  border  of  the  State,  recommended 
t/ie  organization  of  companies  for  protection.  General 
jew.  Wallace  was  placed  in  command  of  the  troops  in 
Jincinnati ;  all  business  was  suspended ;  drilling  was  rigidly 
practiced,  and  the  city  placed  under  martial  law.  Fortifica- 
tions were  erected,  and  an  army  of  thirty  thousand  men 
was  extemporized  with  wonderful  celerity.  Such  an  attitude 
of  defence  was  unexpected  by  the  rebel  commander,  and, 
having  reached  Florence,  he  gave  the  order  for  retreat. 

Some  of  the  minor  events  of  the  month  of  August  were, 
on  the  2d,  a  skirmish  on  the  Rapidan ;  on  the  3d  occurred 
the  capture,  off  the  Bahamas,  of  the  British  propeller 
Columbia,  laden  with  twelve  Armstrong  guns;  011  the  3d, 
the  brutal  murder  of  General  Robert  McCook,  who  was 
sick  in  an  ambulance,  in  advance  of  his  troops,  by  a  body 
of  two  hundred  guerillas,  near  New  Market,  Alabama;  on 
ihe  llth,  the  occupation  of  Bayou  Sara  by  the  Union  force* 


ADVANCE   OF    MCCLELLAN    ON   SOUTH    MOUNTAIN.     247 

and  the  defeat  of  the  gu  irillas  near  Canton's  Ferry,  on  Grand 
river,  Missouri,  by  Colonel  Guitai,  wounding  one  hundred 
and  capturing  two  hundred ;  on  the  28th,  the  mortar  fleet 
made  a  useless  attack  on  Vicksburg ;  on  the  30th,  a  fight 
took  place  at  Bolivar,  Tennessee ;  on  the  31st,  battles  were 
fought  at  Meadow  Station,  and  Middletown,  Tennessee,  and 
also  near  Centrevillo,  Yirginia.  The  important  events  on 
foot  at  this  time  absorbed  all  the  public  attention. 

The  battle  of  South  Mountain  took  place  on  the  14th  of 
September  (1862).  The  army  under  General  McClellan  had 
overtaken  the  Confederate  forces  under  General  Lee,  near 
Middletown,  Maryland,  on  their  flight  toward  the  Potomac, 
and  now  a  bloody  engagement  impended.  In  order  to 
secure  his  retreat,  Lee  had  determined  on  the  capture  of 
Harper's  Ferry,  which  was  not'  strongly  garrisoned.  Jack- 
son, therefore,  was  sent  to  recross  the  Potomac  at  Sharps- 
burg,  in  order  to  intercept  the  retreat  of  the  garrison.  At 
the  same  time,  another  division  was  moved  direct  to 
Harper's  Ferry,  for  the  purpose  of  capturing  Maryland 
Heights.  Another  division  crossed  below  the  ferry.  This 
last  division,  on  the  capture  of  the  stronghold,  was  to  return 
to  rejoin  the  main  body  of  the  army,  which  was  then  to 
march  into  Pennsylvania.  These  divisions,  therefore,  were 
not  present  to  participate  in  the  battle  of  South  Mountain. 
This  mountain  is  a  continuation  of  the  Blue  Ridge.  On  its 
summit  and  sides,  the  rebel  general  had  selected  an  excel- 
lent position.  Few  passes  existed  through  these  mountains, 
and  the  natural  defences  against  the  Union  advance  were 
very  formidable.  Two  chief  passes,  at  five  miles'  distance 
from  each  other,  were  Turner's  and  Crampton's  Gaps.  The 
first  was  that  through  which  the  main  body  of  the  enemy 
passed.  The  chief  importance  of  the  other  was  its  defence 
of  the  rebel  flank.  Lcngstreet  and  Hill,  with  forty  thou- 
sand troops  and  twelve  pieces  of  artillery,  held  Turner's 
Gap.  Cobb  occupied  Crampton's  Gap,  with  another  Con- 
federate force.  The  fight  at  Turner's  Gap  was  brought  on 
by  a  cavalry  reconnoissance  of  General  Pleasonton,  sup- 
ported by  infantry.  This  general  was  moving  upon  the 
enemy  on  the  Hagerstowc.  road,  with  a  brigade  of  cavalry 
and  several  guns,  when  a  portion  of  the  Ninth  Army  Corps 
was  sent  to  his  support.  The  Confedel  Ues  fell  back  slowly 
toward  the  mounta:u  and  wera  found  to  be  in  too  great 


248  BATTLE   OF   SOUTH   MOUNTAIN 

force  to  be  attacked  by  Pleasonton.  At  Turner's  Gap  tht 
mountain  is  one  thousand  feet  in  altitude.  Its  steep  sides 
are  difficult  to  scale  on  account  of  the  loose  boulders  and 
ledges.  It  is  covered  by  woods,  except  where  there  is  an 
occasional  opening  for  pasture,  and  formed  a  hazardous  un 
dertaking  for  an  attacking  column.  On  each  side  of  the  gap, 
and  in  the  pass  itself,  the  enemy  were  posted,  and  were 
defended  by  artillery,  commanding  the  approach  and  the 
plain  at  the  base  of  the  mountain.  At  the  distance  of  one 
and  a  half  miles  stands  the  little  village  of  Bolivar,  from 
which  two  roads  run,  one  on  each  side  of  the  turnpike; 
these  roads  take  a  circuitous  route,  and,  ascending,  meet 
at  the  mountain  summit. 

The  Federal  divisions  took  position  at  eight  o'clock  in 
the  morning,  and  moved,  up  the  turnpike  from  the  other 
side  of  Middletown.  General  Reno,  with  the  Ninth  Corps, 
advanced  on  Bolivar,  and  took  the  road  to  the  left  of  the 
turnpike.  In  front  of  the  village,  upon  an  ascent,  he  formed 
his  line  of  battle.  Robinson's  battery  had  previously  taken 
position  to  the  left  of  the  road,  but  failed  to  discover  the 
position  of  the  enemy  or  draw  his  fire.  On  the  approach  of 
the  infantry  column,  the  rebels  commenced  an  artillery  fire 
upon  it  with  two  guns.  The  Federals  escaped  injury,  by 
turning  to  their  position  on  the  left.  The  rebels  brought  up 
some  more  pieces,  and  being  replied  to,  a  keen  artillery  duel 
ensued,  which  lasted  until  ten  o'clock.  A  short  time  after 
this,  the  Confederate  batteries  were  for  awhile  silent,  till 
the  Union  infantry  began  the  attack.  The  concentrated  fire 
from  the  Union  guns  was  directed  upon  the  gap  with  such 
effect,  that  the  enemy  were  compelled  to  change  the  position 
of  their  guns,  and  late  in  the  afternoon  to  withdraw  them. 
The  result  of  this  artillery  duel  showed,  that  the  enemy  would 
with  difficulty  be  dislodged  from  the  crest  of  the  hill.  At 
eleven  o'clock  A.  M.,  a  division  of  Ohio  troops  had  been  sent 
forward,  with  a  promise  to  their  leader,  General  Cox,  on  the 
part  of  General  Reno,  of  support  with  all  the  force  of  the  latter. 
General  Cox  soon  entered  the  woods  at  the  foot  of  the  moun- 
tain, with  the  intention  of  turning  the  enemy's  right. 

At  this  time,  Generals  McClellan  and  Burnside,  with  their 
staffs  rode  upon  the  field,  watched  the  progress  of  the  battle, 
and  issied  such  orders  as  were  requisite.  Colonel  Scam- 
tnon  lea  the  first  brigade  which  had  its  front  well  extended , 


BATTLE   OF   SOUTH   MOUNTAIN.  249 

Colonel  Cv'tok  led  the  second,  in  columns  of  reserve,  the 
whole  L'.fce  being  well  protected  with  skirmishers.  Th« 
Twenty-tint d  Ohio,  on  the  left  of  the  advance,  soon  reached 
the  summit,  and  Ke>re  encountered  the  Twenty-fifth  North 
Carolina.  In  a  hand  to  hand  contest  which  ensued,  the 
Carolinians  were  completely  routed,  and  many  of  them  cap- 
tured. 

At  one  time,  four  pieces  were  nearly  captured  by  the 
enemy,  who  had  driven  back  the  two  companies  who  sup- 
ported  the  battery.  This  produced  confusion  for  awhile, 
but  order  bei  ig  restored,  a  despe)ate  struggle  was  made  for 
the  possession  of  the  guns.  The  tight  was  kept  up  awhile, 
when  the  rebels,  being  oveicome  fell  back  in  confusion,  and 
the  hills  re-echoed  the  cheers  of  the  victorious  Union 
troops.  The  Twelfth  Ohio,  on  (leneral  Cox's  centre,  had  to 
pass  through  an  open  ground,  gieiatly  exposed  to  the  enemy's 
fire.  The  whole  regiment,  with  loud  shouts  ran  up  the 
ascent,  where  the  firm  ranks  of  the  enemy  were  prepared  to 
receive  them.  When  the  Union  troops  were  within  a  few 
feet  of  them,  the  rebels  broke  and  tied  to  the  refuge  of  the 
woods.  The  Second  and  Twenty-fifth  Ohio  were  then  moved 
up,  and  the  combined  forces  withstood  all  the  persistent 
attempts  of  the  enemy  to  regain  their  position.  Two  tern 
pounder  Parrott  guns  from  Simonds'  battery,  were  now 
moved  forward  in  an  open  space,  and  continued  during  the 
fight  to  render  effectual  service.  The  enemy's  guns,  at  this 
point,  were  withdrawn,  and  placed  in  a  new  position  near 
the  Union  right  and  front.  At  the  same  time  they  made  a 
movement  toward  both  the  Union  flanks.  Thiy  was  the 
condit.ion  of  affairs  at  noon  ;  at  that  hour  the  infantry  fire 
ceased.  The  cannonading  slackened,  and  at  length  the  gun> 
wore  silent.  The  Union  reinforcements  came  up  eirly  in 
the  afternoon,  when  the  Confederates  made  desperate  (.Sorts 
tc  regain  their  position  on  the  crest.  When  the  troops  <vere 
all  in  position,  General  Eeno  gave  the  order  for  a  genoral 
advance.  The  brave  patriots  rushed  on  with  enthusiastic 
eagerness.  Their  onset  was  met  by  the  rebels  with  great 
firmness ;  fierce  charges  were  made  on  the  advancing  lino. 
The  Union  trocps  behaved  with  great  bravery,  and  suffered 
severely  ;  particularly  Wilcox's  division,  which  was  exposed 
to  a  battery  of  the  enemy.  General  Sturgis  was  sent  to  sup- 
port Wilcox  in  driving  back  the  terrible  charges  of  thti 


250  BATTLE  OF  SOUTH  MOUNTAIN. 

enemy,  which,  late  in  the  afternoon,  were  made  with  greater 
vigor  on  both  the  right  and  left.  General  Sturgis  withstood 
the  rebel  attack  for  an  hour,  and  at  eight  o'clock,  the  baffled 
foe,  bleeding,  and  utterly  exhausted  with  useless  efforts, 
withdrew.  General  Jesse  L.  Reno,  about  sunset,  received  a 
mortal  wound  from  a  musket  ball.  The  command  devolved 
on  General  Cox,  who,  during  this  battle,  exhibited  great  skill 
and  oourage.  The  exultation  of  the  troops  was  mingled 
with  deep  sorrow  for  the  loss  of  the  gallant  Reno.  General 
Burnside,  in  an  order,  paid  just  tribute  to  his  character,  as 
the  most  devoted  of  patriots,  the  most  thorough  of  soldiers, 
and  a  man  of  the  most  kindly  qualities  of  heart  in  private 
life.  The  loss  of  such  a  man  was  a  calamity  to  the  cause  of 
his  country,  for  which  he  nobly  died. 

Early  in  the  afternoon,  the  column  of  Hooker  proceeded 
up  the  turnpike,  and  turning  off  to  the  right  at  Bolivar,  took 
the  branch  road  leading  to  the  base  of  the  mountain.  Gen 
eral  Meade  was  also  sent,  with  the  Pennsylvania  Reserves, 
to  make  an  attack  on  a  hill  on  the  right  of  the  opening  to 
the  gap,  and  General  Hatch  moved  up  on  the  left,  his  right 
wing  resting  on  the  road.  The  Union  line  was  completed 
by  Ricketts'  division,  on  the  extreme  right,  a  mile  from  the 
road.  The  whole  line  extended  three  miles.  The  right 
wing  being  formed,  the  ascent  was  begun ;  and  moving  up 
the  craggy  mountain  side,  the  skirmishers  of  the  enemy 
were  driven  in,  and  the  Pennsylvania  Reserves  encountered 
the  main  body.  Heavy  volleys  of  musketry  rolled  along 
the  mountain  sides,  telling  the  vigorous  assault  of  the  com- 
batants engaged  in  deadly  strife. 

No  straggler  was  seen  on  the  entire  line  of  the  Pennsyl- 
rania  Reserves,  and  the  first  brigade  of  Ricketts'  division,  as 
it  moved  boldly  onward,  resolved  on  taking  possession  of 
the  crest.  On  the  brave  men  rushed,  pouring  a  terrible  £re 
of  minie  balls  into  the  ranks  of  the  foe,  who  resisted  them 
stubbornly  in  a  conflict  of  half  an  hour,  and  then  were  re- 
polled  in  disorder  toward  the  summit.  Here  they  made  a 
stand,  but  nothing  could  resist  the  assault  of  the  brave  Penn- 
sylvania ns,  and  the  enemy,  again  repelled,  fled  in  disorder 
down  the  western  side  of  the  mountain. 

While  the  right  was  thus  successful,  the  left,  under  Gen- 
eral Hatch,  performed  like  deeds  of  heroism.  General 
Patrick's  brigade  skirmished,  and  having  climbed  the  moun- 


BATTLE  OF  SOUTH  MOUNTAIN.          251 

tain,  drew  the  fire  of  the  enemy,  who  thus  revealed  their 
situation.  A  fence  extended  along  the  crest,  in  the  front  of 
flrhich  were  thick  woods,  while  in  the  rear  was  a  field  full  01 
ledges  of  rock.  Behind  this  fence  the  rebels  were  strongly 
posted.  The  Federal  skirmishers  were  supported,  at  the 
distance  of  some  thirty  yards,  by  Phelps'  brigade,  behind 
which  at  a  short  distance,  Doubleday  had  drawn  up  his 
troops  in  line  of  battle. 

The  enemy  were  found  to  be  in  force,  and  immediately 
Phelps'  troops  rushed  into  the  contest,  closely  followed  by 
those  of  Hatch.  A  deadly  fire  being  poured  upon  them, 
soon  drove  the  Confederates  from  the  fence,  and  the  Federal 
troops  rushing  forward,  took  up  a  position  a  little  beyond. 
In  this  spirited  action,  General  Hatch  was  wounded,  "where- 
upon General  Doubleday  assumed  command  of  his  division. 
Colonel  Wainwright,  who  took  command  of  Doubleday'a 
brigade,  was  disabled,  and  then  its  command  devolved  on 
Lieutenant-colonel  Hoffman,  of  the  Fifty -sixth  Pennsylvania. 
Phelps'  troops,  who  had  suffered  much  in  the  action,  about 
dusk  were  relieved  by  Doubleday's  brigade,  not  more  than 
one  thousand  strong.  The  number  of  Confederates  opposed 
to  them  was  about  five  thousand,  with  a  strong  body  in  re- 
serve. The  Federals  made  good  use  of  the  fence  which 
they  had  captured,  and,  protected  by  its  shelter,  defied  all 
the  assaults  of  the  enemy.  By  one  volley  after  another  they 
were  kept  at  bay,  though  the  distance  between  the  combat- 
ants did  not  exceed  thirty  paces.  The  powerful  force  of  the 
Confederates  was  gallantly  repelled  in  the  frequent  charges 
which  it  made. 

The  Federals  were  at  length  ordered  to  reserve  their  fire 
and  lay  down  behind  the  fence.  The  enemy  deemed  this  a 
favorable  opportunity  to  carry  the  position  by  a  successful 
charge.  Accordingly,  with  elated  hopes,  and  dreadful  yells, 
they  rushed  onward  with  great  eagerness.  The  Federals 
lay  silent  till  the  Confederates  approached  within  fifteen 
paces;  then,  springing  to  their  feet,  they  swept  the  lauks 
with  such  a  well  aimed  volley,  that  the  whole  line  reeled,  ad 
if  shaken  by  a  thunderbolt,  and  then  turned  and  fled  with 
precipitation,  leaving  the  ground  behind  them  strewn  with 
slain.  All  the  efforts  ol  Longstreet  to  rally  his  shattered 
lines  to  a  new  assault,  proved  unavailing.  The  flashes  of 
the  gui  s  in  the  shades  of  ;r.e  evening,  revealed  to  the  oom- 


BATTLE    OF   SOUTH    MOUNTAIN. 

batants  the  position  of  each,  and  the  firing  was  still  kept  up 
When  the  Federals  had  only  three  cartridges  in  their  boxea 
General  Ricketts,  without  orders,  came  up  from  the  right, 
and  relieved  the  gallant  brigade  of  Doubleday.  The  heroic 
troops,  who  had  fought  so  well,  now  receded  a  few  paces, 
and,  laying  down  upon  their  arms,  obtained  some  needful 
rest.  An  attempt  now  made  to  turn  the  Union  left  flank, 
was  repulsed  with  severe  loss  to  the  enemy.  During  the 
attack  on  the  fence,  there  was  a  severe  contest  for  another 
fence,  at  the  northeast  side  of  the  cornfield,  where  the 
Twenty-first  and  Twenty-second  New  York  regiments  had 
obtained  possession  of  an  excellent  position.  An  assault 
of  great  fierceness,  was  well  sustained  by  the  troops  under 
Colonel  Rodgers  of  the  Twenty-first.  The  rebel  gunners 
were  picked  oflj  one  of  the  batteries  silenced,  and  the 
enemy  repelled.  The  troops  under  General  Ricketts  main- 
tained  the  contest  about  half  an  hour  after  their  arrival  at 
the  front.  Their  tremendous  volleys  made  it  impossible  for 
the  enemy  longer  to  resist ;  they  fell  back  from  their  posi- 
tion, and  fled  in  dismay  down  the  mountain  side.  Thus,  in 
front  as  well  as  on  the  right  and  left,  the  Unionists  were  vic- 
torious, and  the  troops  laid  down  and  slept  on  their  arms.  This 
engagement  at  Turner's  Gap  ceased  at  nine  o'clock  in  the 
evening,  and  proved  a  decisive  victory.  Notwithstanding 
the  advantages  which  the  Confederates  possessed,  both  in 
numbers  and  a  chosen  position,  the  Federal  troops  had 
overcome  every  obstacle  and  defeated  them.  The  Federal 
loss  was  three  hundred  and  twenty-eight  killed,  and  fourteen 
hundred  and  sixty-three  wounded  and  missing ;  that  of  the 
enemy,  was  estimated  at  three  thousand. 

Another  important  success  was  that  of  Crampton's  Gap. 
General  Franklin,  moving  along  the  line  of  the  Potomac, 
reached  Sugar  Loaf  mountain  on  the  18th,  and  drove  out 
a  body  of  Conf3derate  cavalry  from  a  signal  station  at  that 
point.  The  next  morning,  the  enemy's  pickets  were  en- 
countered at  the  village  of  Birkinsville,  near  the  gap,  am1 
soon  a  battery  began  to  open  fire  on  the  advancing  Federal 
columns.  The  place,  the  hour,  and  manner  of  attack,  wera 
quite  similar  to  the  movement  on  Turner's  Gap,  as  already 
mentioned.  The  enemy  occupied  the  heights  on  each  side  of 
the  pass.  General  Slocum,  with  his  division,  held  the  right 
of  the  Federal  line,  and  was  covered,  on  his  left,  by  tht 


^      OF   SOUTH    MOUNTAIN.  258 

dirision  of  General  Smith.  The  enemy  occupied  a  strong 
position  behind  a  stone  wall  at  the  base  of  the  mountain. 
Slocum's  brigades,  being  ordered  to  charge  up  the  heights 
on  the  right,  encountered  a  body  of  the  enemy  behind  this 
wall.  In  a  hand  to  hand  fight,  the  Confederates  firrxly 
resisted  for  an  hour,  and  then  being  routed,  were  driven  up 
the  ascent.  Attaining  the  higher  ground,  they  planted  a 
oattery  and  opened  fire  on  their  eager  pursuers.  The 
resistless  attack  of  the  Union  troops  again  drove  them 
onward  up  the  heights,  and  drawing  their  guns  en  echelon, 
they  made  a  more  vigorous  stand  on  the  summit.  The 
brave  Federals  rushed  on,  closing  up  every  gap  in  their 
broken  ranks  and  preserving  their  line  of  battle.  They 
assaulted  the  enemy  in  a  vigorous  charge,  driving  right  upon 
his  front.  A  most  desperate  combat  was  the  result.  With 
great  pertinacity,  the  Confederates  held  their  position,  their 
artillery  being  served  with  great  effect. 

During  this  severe  conflict  on  the  right,  the  brigades  of 
Brook  and  Irvin  were  driving  the  enemy  up  the  slope  on 
the  left.  On  each  side  of  the  gap,  the  incessant  rattle  of 
musketry  was  mingled  with  the  hoarser  roar  of  artillery. 
In  the  momentary  pauses  which  occurred,  the  heavy  boom- 
ing of  cannon  told  the  combatants  that  a  fierce  battle  was 
raging  at  Turner's  Gap.  The  Confederates  could  no  longer 
resist  the  spirited  charges  both  on  the  right  and  left. 
Their  ranks  wavered  and  fled  in  wild  disorder  down  the 
mountain  side.  Four  hundred  prisoners,  four  regimental 
colors,  one  cannon,  and  three  thousand  stand  of  arms  were 
the  trophies  of  the  field.  The  Union  loss  was  four  hundred 
and  forty-three  killed,  eighteen  hundred  and  six  wounded 
and  one  hundred  and  seventy-six  captured.  The  Con- 
federates lost  forty-three  hundred  killed,  wounded  and 
prisoners. 

The  brigades  of  Torbert  and  Newton,  were  commended 
for  their  activity  and  courage.  These  displayed  an  intrepidity 
in  their  last  charge  never  surpassed. 

By  the  occupation  of  Crampton's  Gap,  the  Confederate 
flank  was  exposed  and  Pleasant  valley  opened  to  the  Union 
forces.  It  was  but  six  miles  from  Harper's  Ferry,  which 
could  easily  receive  reinforcements  from  General  Franklin. 
The  surrender  of  the  place  about  to  be  described,  was  » 
great  loss  at  this  crisis  t<  the  nation. 
22 


254  PURSUIT   OF   THE    ENEMY. 

The  Confederates  having  abandoned  the  South  Mountain 
range,  were  hotly  pursued  by  the  Union  eavalry.  The 
corps  of  Sumner,  Hooker,  and  Mansfield,  followed  their 
retreating  columns  with  all  haste  along  the  Boonesboro  turn 
pike;  Burnside  and  Porter  moved  along  the  old  Sharpsburg 
road  with  their  troops.  Franklin,  hastening  down  Pleasant 
valley,  encountered  on  his  march  (on  the  15th),  a  superior 
force  of  the  enemy  in  a  strong  position,  prepared  to  dispute 
his  further  advance.  Only  two  of  his  divisions  had  come 
up,  and  he  deemed  it  prudent  under  the  circumstances  U. 
a  void  the  enemy. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

SEPTEMBER,  1862. 

.  fTAOE     ON    Hi.RI-K.irs     FERRY — ITS     DISGRACEFUL    SURRENDER L'OLONB. 

MILKS — HIS  DKATH — GENERAL  LEE  AT  SHARPSBURG PREPARATIONS  FOU 

TUB  COMING  BATTLE — MOCLELLAN'S    DELAY — THE    ENKMY   RE1NFO.ICED — 

TIIK      BATTLE     OF     ANTTETAM GALLANTRY      OF      THE      TROOPS — HOOKKR 

WOUNDED — SUBLIME  COURAGE  OF  THE  TWELFTH  AND  THIRTEENTH  MASSA- 
CHUSETTS REGIMENTS THE  GALLANT  GENERAL  MANSFIELD  SLAIN — CON- 
SPICUOUS VALOR  OF  CRAWFORD  AND  GORDON — TERRIBLE  CARNAGE TH* 

TIDE    OF    BATTLE     TURNED     BY     GENERAL     FRANKLIN THE     RIGHT    WING 

TICTORIOUS — BURNSIDE  ON  THE  LEFT THE  SPLENDID  VALOR  OF  OFFICERS 

AND    MEN  AT    THE    STONE    BRIDGE — THE    MOVEMENT    SUCCESSFUL ENEMY 

HKINFORCKD — TUK  PERIL  OF  BURNSIDE MCCLELLAN,  AND  THE  RESERVES 

ONDER  PORTER — DREADFUL  LOSS  ON  BOTH  SIDES — LEK  ELUDES  MCCLEL- 
LBN — ESCAPES  ACROSS  THK  POTOMAC — FEDERAL  ARMY  AT  HARPRR*8 
FERRY. 

THE  delight  caused  by  the  victory  of  South  Mountain, 
was  considerably  qualified  by  the  reverse  at  Harper's  Ferry 
which  occurred  about  the  same  time.  This  place  had  al 
ready  been  rendered  famous  by  the  occurrences  which  had 
taken  place  there  in  the  different  contests  during  the  rebel- 
lion. It  was  now  commanded  by  Colonel  Dixon  Miles,  and 
added  to  its  strong  natural  defences,  was  strongly  fortified 
by  art.  Maryland  Heights  rise  several  hundred  feet  above 
the  Potomac,  being  the  key  of  Harper's  Ferry,  a  little  village 
consisting  chiefly  of  government  workshops  and  arsenals. 
A  railroad  bridge  across  the  Potomac  connects  the  village 
with  the  heights,  which  are  reached  by  a  road  from  the 
river.  Near  the  summit  of  Maryland  Heights,  is  a  broad 
plain,  which  discloses  a  splendid  view  of  the  Potomac.  On 
the  edge  of  the  cliff,  the  Union  troops  had  planted  heavy 
siege  guns,  commanding  the  valley.  One  of  these  was  a  fifty 
pound  Parrott ;  besides  which  there  were  two  Dalghrens,  and 
a  battery  of  howitzers.  No  successful  attack  could  be  made 
on  this  position,  except  on  the  north  side.  If  barricaded 
prope'V,  a  small  body  of  troops  could  keep  an  army  at 
bay.  The  springs  and  brooks  afforded  an  unfailing  supply 
of  water  A  heavy  line  of  intrenchrneuts,  with  a  deep  ditch 

(266) 


25<J  ATTACK    ON    MARYLAND    HEIGHTS, 

in  front,  thrown  up  on  the  summit  of  Harper's  Ferry,  ex 
tended  from  the  Potomac  to  the  Shenandoah.  Bolivai" 
Heights,  on  the  Virginia  side,  were  fortified  with  earthworks, 
to  protect  the  infantry  from  the  musketry  of  the  enemy 
The  number  of  troops  in  the  garrison  was  about  twelve 
thousand  men.  A  large  quantity  of  ammunition,  artillery, 
and  stores  had  been  accumulated  at  Harper's  Ferry,  and  the 
garrisons  at  Winchester  and  Martinsburg  had  been  ordered 
to  report  to  Colonel  Miles. 

On  the  llth  of  September,  McClellan  telegraphed  to  Gen- 
eial  Halleck,  suggesting  that  Colonel  Miles  be  sent  to  join 
him  by  the  most  practicable  route.  Halleck  answered,  that 
there  was  no  way  for  Colonel  Miles  to  join  him,  and  that  the 
only  chance  for  the  latter  was  to  defend  his  works.  It  was 
of  great  importance  to  the  Confederates,  in  the  invasion  of 
Maryland,  to  gain  possession  of  Harper's  Ferry.  Accord- 
ingly, they  made  their  appearance  on  the  8th  of  September, 
on  Maryland  Heights,  and  during  the  following  week  erected 
i  barricade  of  trees,  fourteen  hundred  yards  in  length.  An 
attack  being  expected,  Colonel  Miles  appointed  Colonel 
Ford  to  guard  the  heights.  It  was  afterward  proved,  that 
Colonel  Miles  had  neglected  to  fortify  Maryland  Heights, 
when  ordered  to  do  so  a  month  previous ;  that  when  an 
attack  was  apprehended,  he  withheld  from  Colonel  Ford  the 
necessary  means  of  erecting  barricades ;  that  without  suffi- 
cient cause  he  allowed  these  heights  to  be  abandoned  on  the 
13th,  and  that  he  had  paroled  Confederate  officers  during  th« 
siege,  who  could  inform  the  enemy  of  the  exact  state  of  the 
garrison  and  the  fortifications. 

Their  preparations  made,  the  Confederates  assaulted  the 
position  on  the  afternoon  of  Friday,  September  12th.  The 
Union  line  of  battle  was  drawn  up  in  front  of  the  barricade 
during  the  night,  and  a  decisive  action  was  anticipated  for 
the  morrow.  At  seven  o'clock  next  morning,  the  enemy 
made  a  vigorous  attack,  which  was  repulsed.  The  contest 
then  raged  with  greater  fury  for  an  hour,  and  the  enemy, 
being  reinforced,  again  advanced.  Most  of  the  regiments  in 
the  garrison  were  raw  recruits.  The  One  Hundred  and 
Twenty-sixth  New  York,  intimidated  at  the  approach  of  the 
enemy,  broke  and  fled  behind  the  barricades  ;  Colonel  Sher 
rill  rallied  the  men,  and  they  again  took  part  in  the  action. 
The  Federal  left  being  turned,  they  fell  back.  The  Confed- 


DISGRACEFUL   SURRENDER   OF   HARPER'S   FERRT.      257 

erates  retired  soon  after,  and  again  advanced  at  four  o'clock, 
p.  M.,  but  the  attack  was  not  renewed  on  their  part,  and  night 
ended  the  engagement.  No  hope,  but  in  reinforcements,  re- 
mained to  the  garrison.  During  the  night,  such  dispositions 
were  made  as  best  promised  successful  resistance.  At 
four  o'clock  A.  1C.,  on  Saturday,  the  13th,  all  the  troops 
were  ordered  to  retreat  down  the  mountain,  and  Maryland 
Heights  were  abandoned  to  the  enemy  ;  the  latter  occupying 
them  on  the  afternoon  of  the  same  day.  The  Union  line  of  bat- 
tle on  Bolivar  Heights,  was  similar  to  that  on  Maryland 
Heights.  Colonel  D'Utassy  held  the  extreme  right,  Colonel 
Trimble  the  left ;  General  White  occupied  a  position  on  the 
heights,  and  Major  Mcllwaine  directed  the  operations  of  the 
artillery.  No  attack  was  made  until  four  o'clock,  p.  M., 
when  a  tremendous  cannonading  thundered  from  the  rebel 
guns  on  Maryland  Heights,  Loudon  Heights,  Sandy  Hook, 
and  from  batteries  planted  on  the  Shepardstown  and  Charles- 
town  roads.  A  spirited  reply  was  made  by  the  Federal 
guns,  and  the  artillery  duel  continued  during  the  day.  On 
the  approach  of  night,  the  Federal  lines  were  somewhat  con- 
tracted, as  the  enemy  had  turned  the  left  flank.  An  attack 
on  Rigby's  battery,  at  eight  o'clock,  was  gallantly  repulsed, 
with  great  loss  to  the  enemy. 

The  final  issue  was  uncertain  at  the  end  of  the  second 
day's  battle,  nothing  decisive  yet  occurring.  On  the  follow- 
ing night  the  enemy  planted  batteries  so  skilfully  as  to 
enfilade  the  Union  position.  At  five  o'clock  on  Monday, 
15th,  the  enemy,  strongly  reinforced,  renewed  the  conflict 
with  great  energy.  Harper's  Ferry  had  been  threatened 
with  an  attack  during  the  whole  veek,  and  yet  it  had  not 
been  reinforced.  On  Sunday  night  Colonel  Miles  had  sent 
to  General  McClellan  for  aid,  but  none  had  arrived.  The 
ammunition  of  the  Federals  was  exhausted  at  eight  o'clock 
an  Monday  night,  and  Colonel  Miles  called  a  council  of 
ffar.  All  except  Colonel  D'Utassy  approved  the  determina- 
tion of  Colonel  Miles  to  prevent  further  loss  of  life  by  the 
surrender  of  the  place.  White  flags  were  then  raised  on 
the  intrenchments,  and  a  flag  c  f  truce  was  sent  by  General 
White  to  arrange  the  terms  of  capitulation  with  the  Confed- 
erate general,  Jackson.  The  conditions  were,  that  the 
Union  officers  should  be  allowed  to  depart  on  parole,  with 
their  side  arms  and  private  effects.  The  rank  and  file  wer« 


268  COLONEL   MILES — HIS   DEATH. 

also  paroled  and  permitted  to  go  out  with  every  thing  ou* 
their  arms  and  equipments.  Eleven  thousand,  five  hundred 
and  eighty-three  officers  and  men  were  thus  surrendered  to 
the  enemy  All  the  cavalry,  two  thousand  in  number,  under 
Colonel  Davis,  had  previously  cut  their  way  through  the 
works  of  the  enemy,  and  escaped  by  the  Sharpsburg  road, 
capturing  on  their  route  one  hundred  wagons  of  Longstreet'n 
train  and  one  hundred  prisoners.  The  Confederates  captured, 
at  Harper's  Ferry,  forty-seven  pieces  of  various  calibre, 
also,  seven  thousand  five  hundred  stands  of  arms,  forty 
thousand  rounds  of  cartridges,  fifty  rounds  of  cannister  shot, 
and  rations  for  six  days  for  twelve  thousand  men.  The 
Union  loss  was  eighty  killed  and  one  hundred  and  twenty 
wounded.  The  rebel  loss  was  estimated  by  their  officers  at 
one  thousand  five  hundred. 

After  the  surrender,  Colonel  Miles  was  wounded  by  a 
shell  and  his  leg  amputated.  He  died  after  the  operation. 

When  the  brave  soldiers  learned  their  fate  their  rage  and 
shame  was  unbounded.  Under  a  good  commander  they 
might  have  made  a  successful  resistance  till  reinforced 
Had  Harper's  Ferry  not  been  surrendered,  the  Confederates  at 
the  battle  of  Antietam,  weakened  by  the  absence  of  Jack- 
ion  and  his  forces,  could  have  been  attacked  in  detail,  with 
the  Potomac  in  their  rear. 

Colonel  Ford  displayed  a  lack  of  military  capacity  in 
defending  Maryland  Heights,  and  in  accordance  with  the 
report  of  the  investigating  commission,  he  and  other  officers 
were  dismissed  from  the  service  by  the  President.  The 
splendid  victory  of  South  Mountain  hardly  recompensed 
for  the  surrender  of  Harper's  Ferry,  the  result  of  delay, 
stupidity,  cowardice,  and  treason.  The  paper  on  which  the 
terms  of  capitulation  were  written  was  scarcely  dry,  when 
twenty  thousand  active  troops  moved  off'  rapidly  to  assist 
General  Lee,  and  were  present  at  the  battle  of  Antietam. 

The  victory  of  South  Mountain  being  achieved,  the  Union 
forces  at  once,  as  already  seen,  pursued  the  retreating 
Confederate  columns.  The  latter  had  made  a  retrograde 
movement  in  the  direction  of  the  Potomac,  and  taken  up  a 
atrong  position  of  their  own  selection  near  Sharpsburg, 
where  formidable  intrench  ments  were  thrown  up.  The 
Union  cavalry  in  pursuit  had  captured  two  hundred  and 
fifty  prisoners  and  two  guns  in  an  action  at  Boonesboro  On 


POSITION   OF   TDK   TWO   ARMIES.  269 

Monday,  September  15th,  all  the  corps  of  the  Federal  army 
with  the  exception  of  Franklin's,  which  was  left  to  check 
the  enemy  at  Brownsville,  were  moving  upon  Sharpsburg. 
The  subordinate  commanders  were  ordered  to  put  their 
troops  in  position  in  the  event  of  finding  the  enemy  in 
force  and  well  posted.  They  were  then  to  await  the  arrival 
of  the  Commander-in-chief.  The  advance  division,  under 
Richardson,  moved  up,  and  found  the  enemy  deployed  no 
ar  from  Keedysville,  and  forming  his  lines,  Richardson 
took  position,  and  the  rest  of  the  column  was  halted  on  the 
main  road,  while  preparations  were  made  for  the  impending 
battle.  The  Federal  troops  were  massed  on  the  Sharpsburg 
turnpike.  The  whole  night  was  spent  by  them  in  taking 
up  their  appointed  positions.  The  Confederate  commander 
formed  in  the  shelter  of  the  mountain  crests,  and  in  the 
woods.  Along  the  western  bank  of  the  Antietam  river 
there  is  a  ridge,  which,  in  the  form  of  a  semicircle,  presents 
its  concave  side  to  the  river ;  the  summit  is  composed  of 
forests  and  ravines.  The  adjacent  hill  had  been  cleared ; 
orchards  and  cornfields  were  separated  by  rail  or  stone 
fences.  The  road  from  Hagerstown  to  Sharpsburg  and 
Shepherdstown  runs  beside  this  ridge. 

The  Confederate  lines,  four  miles  in  extent,  were  posted 
on  these  hills,  and  were  protected  by  woods  and  ravines. 
The  artillery  frowned  from  the  hills,  and  bayonets  bristled 
in  every  thicket.  The  Confederate  right  rested  on  the 
Antietam  creek,  and  the  line  extended  along  the  stream, 
almost  parallel,  but  deflected  toward  the  left  flank.  The 
banks  of  the  stream  were  too  high  to  permit  a  crossing; 
and  the  water  was  too  deep  to  be  forded  except  at  two 
points  about  a  mile  distant  from  each  other.  Between 
these  fords  were  three  bridges  on  the  enemy's  right,  centre, 
and  left,  respectively.  Guards  held  possession  of  the 
bridges.  The  unevenness  of  the  wooded  ground,  with  the 
ravines  and  thickets,  was  concealed  from  the  Federal  troops 
by  the  waving  corn.  The  path  must  be  traversed  under 
the  galling  fire  of  the  enemy. 

The  Federal  position  was  on  the  east  of  the  Antietam, 
behind  a  low  range  of  hills,  inferior  in  height  to  those 
occupied  by  the  enemy.  Here  the  line  of  battle  was 
formed  and  the  artillery  posted.  General  McClellan  spent 
most  of  the  16th  in  reconnoitering.  The  Union  troops,  on 


2(50  RBCONNOISSANCfc   BY   GENERAL   IU 

arriving  on  the  east  side  of  the  Antietam,  numbered  ninety 
thousand  men,  the  enemy  fifty  thousand.     By  the  delay  of 
twenty-four  hours,  Lee  was  joined  by  the  forces  of  Jackson 
and  other  Confederate  reinforcements  arrived  as  the  battle 
progressed. 

On  Tuesday,  16th,  at  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  Gen- 
oral  Hooker  crossed  the  Antietam  by  the  upper  bridge  and 
the  ford  above  it,  and  reached  the  right  bank  of  the  river 
unopposed.  Advancing  to  take  the  enemy  on  the  left  flank, 
Buch  a  storm  of  shell  and  canister  assailed  the  Union 
troops  as  compelled  them  to  fall  back.  They  again  moved 
on  with  batteries  in  front,  supported  by  infantry,  and  the 
flanks  protected  by  skirmishers.  The  latter  were  attacked 
by  a  brisk  fire  from  the  woods,  and  the  rebel  batteries 
opened  a  heavy  fire  on  the  front  and  right.  The  skirmish 
now  became  a  battle.  It  soon  ceased,  however,  and  while 
the  troops,  having  made  this  successful  reconnoissance,  lay 
down  on  their  arms  to  obtain  some  repose,  General  Hooker 
remarked  to  his  officers  that  the  battle  on  the  morrow  would 
decide  the  fate  of  the  Republic.  Frequent  alarms  during 
the  night  prevented  the  troops  of  both  armies  from  sleep- 
ing. While  Hooker  was  thus  reconnoitering,  on  the  after 
noon  of  the  16th,  the  Ninth  Corps,  following  the  course  of 
the  Antietam  for  three  miles,  took  up  a  position  on  the  left  of 
the  road  from  Roherville  to  Sharpsburg.  The  troops  were 
well  posted  on  a  range  of  hills  which  commanded  the  stone 
bridge  across  the  Antietam  and  the  lower  ford.  These 
forces  were  led  next  day  by  General  Burnside  They 
moved  forward  at  seven  o'clock  A.  M.,  to  occupy  a  ridgo 
nearer  the  river,  with  the  intention  of  crossing  at  the  stone 
bridge  and  attacking  the  Confederate  right.  An  artillery 
duel  took  place  while  this  movement  was  progressing,  which 
proved  the  superiority  of  the  Federal  artillery  by  silencing 
several  of  the  enemy's  guns.  These  operations  were  the 
prelude  to  the  battle  of  Antietam,  which  began  in  earnest 
at  daybreak  on  Wednesday  morning,  September  the  17th 
(1862). 

It  began  with  Hooker's  division  on  the  extreme  right, 
and  here,  until  noon,  the  main  interest  of  the  battle  centred, 

General  Lee  commanded  the  Confederate  troops ;  Jackson 
held  their  left,  Hill  the  centre,  and  Longstreet  the  right. 
6*rora  big  reinforcements  and  the  strong  position  which  hi 


BATTLE    OF   AMTIETAM.  261 

had  chosen,  the  chances  of  success  were  favorable  to  the 
Confederate  general.  The  corps  of  Generals  Sumner  and 
Mansfield  reinforced  Hooker  during  the  night,  and  he 
advanced  confidently  to  the  attack  with  muskerty  and 
artillery.  The  battle  raged  with  great  fierceness  for  half 
an  hour,  during  which  victory  inclined  to  neither  side. 
The  whole  line,  extending  five  miles,  was  engaged.  The 
deafening  roar  of  two  hundred  guns  was  blended  with  the 
rattle  of  tens  of  thousands  of  rifles,  and  the  noise  of  explo- 
ding shells  mingled  with  the  thrilling  shouts  of  the  contend- 
ents.  Hooker's  men,  animated  by  his  spirit,  advanced 
boldly  to  the  encounter,  and  nobly  emulated  the  heroism 
of  their  commander.  The  tide  of  battle  rolled  on,  now 
here,  now  there,  sweeping  all  before  its  resistless  pressure, 
and  being  in  turn  borne  back.  The  Confederates,  flushed 
with  the  success  of  Harper's  Ferry,  and  bent  on  conquest, 
fought  with  desperate  energy.  The  Federal  soldier  fought 
as  one  who  was  fighting  for  country,  liberty,  and  life.  As 
the  firm  rock  rears  its  crest  amid  the  ocean  surges,  and 
defies  the  billows  of  the  deep,  so  neither  side  yielded,  each 
maintaining  its  ground.  Regiments  and  brigades  melted 
away.  The  deadly  bolts  laid  friend  and  foe  alike  on  the 
crimsoned  field  which  drank  in  their  life  blood.  That  terri- 
ble half  hour  has  fled,  and  with  it  the  canopy  of  smoke 
which  obscured  the  field.  The  Confederate  line  falters,  and 
the  Union  troops  dash  forward  with  a  cheer.  The  first 
retiring  motion  is  made  in  the  front  of  Hooker's  centre,  and 
Meade,  with  the  reserves,  -presses  the  fugitives  in  hot 
pursuit  to  the  woods. 

From  its  gloomy  recesses  came  suddenly  terrible  volleys, 
which  hurled  the  brave  patriots  back  over  half  the  distance 
gained.  They  had  been  attacked  by  fresh  troops,  but  with 
scarce  a  brigade,  they  closed  up  the  broken  ranks;  fought 
till  their  ammunition  was  spent,  and  retired  in  the  most  per- 
fect order.  The  Confederate  general,  Wood,  pours  in  fresh 
forces  to  fill  up  the  gap  in  his  lines,  and  the  Union  troopi 
are  driven  back,  amid  the  victorious  shouts  of  the  enemy. 

"  Fighting  Joe  Hooker  "  meets  the  attack  with  his  nearest 
brigade,  which  is  forced  back.  He  sends  for  another. 
None  can  be  spared.  There  is  danger  that  the  exultant  foe 
will  break  atf  d  annihilate  his  centre.  The  right  must  not 
b6  weakened.  He  orders  Doubleday  to  send  up  hit  bent 


262  BATTLK   OF    ANT1ETAM. 

brigade  instantly ;  and  these  heroic  troops,  rushing  on  at 
the  double-quick  over  the  uneven  ground,  are  soon  by  the 
side  of  Hooker.  The  eyes  of  the  commander  flashed  with 
proud  satisfaction  when  he  saw  this  brave  band,  composed 
chiefly  of  the  Twelfth  and  Thirteenth  Massachusetts,  and 
he  exclaimed  "I  think  they  will  hold  it."  And  gallantly 
«,ncy  realized  his  hopes.  Crossing  the  field  under  a  raking 
fire,  they  gained  the  crest  of  a  hill,  and  stood  in  line  of  battle. 
None  bent  beneath  the  terrible  storm  which  swept  their 
ranks.  They  fired  with  rapid  precision,  and  held  the  ridge 
despite  the  gaps  made  in  their  ranks.  Their  general,  Hart- 
suff)  was  wounded,  their  ammunition  spent,  and  yet  no 
support  came  up  to  their  aid.  These  heroic  troops  still  fought 
with  sublime  courage;  they  pressed  down  with  a  last  fierce 
charge,  and  drove  the  enemy  into  the  woods. 

While  the  battle  thus  raged  on  Hooker's  centre,  Rickett's 
division,  on  his  left,  had  retired  exhausted  in  an  unsuccess- 
ful effort  to  advance.  Part  of  Mansfield's  corps  had  come 
up  to  the  support  of  Hooker,  and  the  two  corps  combined 
maintained  their  ground  until  General  Joseph  B.  F.  Mansfield 
was  mortally  wounded.  The  enemy  being  then  found  too 
heavily  massed  to  afford  any  prospect  of  breaking  their 
lines,  the  troops  retired. 

On  the  right,  Doubleday  yielded  not  an  inch.  His  guns 
finally  silenced  a  battery  which  had  enfiladed  the  centre 
with  dreadful  effect.  For  four  hours  the  battle  had  raged 
along  the  whole  line,  with  dreadful  slaughter  on  both  sides, 
and  little  progress  against  the  enemy.  Hooker  saw  a  point 
which  he  considered  the  key  of  the  position.  Boldly  riding 
at  the  head  of  his  troops,  amid  a  shower  of  bullets,  ne 
ordered  a  general  advance,  and  though  pain  fully  wounded 
by  a  ball  passing  through  his  foot,  still  kept  his  seat  in 
the  saddle,  and  pressed  onward.  Looking  around  to  find 
a  force  by  which  a  Confederate  regiment  which  lurked 
in  the  woods  might  be  charged,  the  capture  of  which, 
it  was  thought,  would  secure  the  victory,  "There  is  a 
regiment  to  the  right,"  exclaimed  Hooker,  "order  it  for- 
ward I  Crawford  and  Gordon  are  corning  up ;  tell  them  to 
carry  those  woods  and  hold  them,  and  it  is  our  fight."  The 
intrepid  Hooker  now  retired,  and  General  Edwin  V.  Srm- 
ner,  who  had  been  sent  to  support  him,  arriving  at  that 
moment,  t  )ok  command  of  his  three  divisions.  General 


BATTLE  or  JLXTIETAM.  2 tit 

Sedgwick  held  the  advance  on  the  right,  French  near  the 
centre,  and  Richardson  on  the  left.  The  gallant  Sumner 
his  hat  oft',  and  his  venerable  locks  floating  in  the  wind, 
moved  rapidly  to  the  point  where  Crawford  and  Gordon 
were  nobly  maintaining  their  ground  against  the  tremendous 
fire  with  which  the  enemy  swept  their  ranks.  Sedgwick'a 
division  was  in  front,  and  in  advancing  to  the  support  of 
Crawford  and  Gordon,  met  the  fierce  fire  of  the  enemy,  by 
tli is  time  heavily  reinforced.  A  portion  of  his  left  broke, 
and  Crawford's  righi,  heavily  pressed,  gave  way  at  the  same 
time.  The  troops  of  the  latter  rushing  back,  disordered 
Sedgwick's  line.  Every  effort  was  most  gallantly  made  by 
the  officers  to  rally  the  men.  GeneraJ  Sedgwick,  though 
wounded  in  the  shoulder,  leg,  and  wrist,  and  having  hia 
horse  shot  under  him,  still  kept  the  field.  The  disordered 
portion  of  the  troops  could  stand  no  longer.  Of  the 
Thirty-fourth  New  York,  half  the  officers  were  disabled 
every  man  of  the  color-guard  wounded,  their  banner  tort 
to  shreds  by  the  bullets,  and  only  one  hundred  and  thirty 
four  men  left.  The  Fifteenth  Massachusetts  had  entered 
the  battle  with  seventeen  officers  and  six  hundred  men,  and 
came  out  with  nine  officers  arid  one  hundred  and  thirty -four 
of  the  rank  and  file.  Howard  and  Sumner  strove  ii  vain 
to  reform,  the  shattered  columns  or  check  the  advance  ol 
the  enemy.  The  well  served  artillery,  however,  executed 
this  important  task,  and  the  bleeding  columns  were  with- 
drawn, leaving  the  trampled  cornfield,  strewn  with  the 
crimson  blood  of  their  dead  and  dying  comrades,  in  the 
hands  of  the  exultant  foe. 

At  one  o'clock,  when  gloom  fell  on  the  Union  right  and 
all  that  had  been  gained  was  lost;  when  Hooker  had  been 
wounded,  and  his  corps  had  most  of  its  ammunition  spent, 
and  any  advance  was  impossible,  Providence  interposed, 
and  sent  General  Franklin  to  the  rescue. 

With  fresh  troops,  in  all  the  pride  of  martial  bearing, 
Franklin  appeared,  and  formed  them  in  line  of  battle  on  the 
left.  General  Charles  F.  Smith  was  ordered  to  retake  the 
cornfield.  Gallantly  the  command  was  executed.  The 
brave  troops  rushed  eagerly  on  at  the  double-quick,  swept 
the  field,  pierced  the  forest  recesses,  and  in  the  lapse  of  ten 
minutes  held  possession  of  thorn  both.  For  two  hours  a 
•light  lull  succeeded,  though  the  sound  of  incessant  artillery 
•ontinued  to  re-echo  amid  the  bills. 


264  BATTLE   OF  JLNTIETAM. 

During  the  severe  conflict  on  the  right,  the  thunder  ol 
the  guns  on  the  centre  and  left,  indicated  an  engagement  of 
the  entire  line.  The  Ninth  corps,  under  Burnside,  at  nine 
o'clock  A.  M.,  advanced  to  cross  the  stone  bridge.  The 
lead  of  this  daring  and  perilous  enterprise  was  entrusted  to 
Colonel  Kingsbury  with  he  Eleventh  Connecticut  (infantry); 
Cacci  3  ^*^*Y5  '  <  \*x  mi  StnrgLs's  division  in  reserve-, 
ws.'j  *3  fonow.  rLey  «3re  to  r.ish  across  the  bridge^ 
deploy  to  the  right  and  left,  and  driving  the  enemy  from 
the  hill,  to  oacupy  the  crest.  Rodman's  division  was  to 
cross  at  the  ford  and  carry  the  heights  opposite  ;  and  the 
forces  were  to  be  combined  when  the  crossing  was  effected. 
The  most  heroic  efforts  to  carry  out  these  orders  were  made 
by  the  brave  troops.-  Frequent  attempts  were  made  in  vain, 
and  the  exhausted  men,  after  leaving  the  ground  covered 
with  dead,  were  forced  to  withdraw.  The  importance  of 
the  position  required  it  to  be  carried.  Fresh  troops  were 
sent  up,  and  the  Fifty -first  New  York,  and  Fifty-first  Penn 
sylvania  now  advanced.  Colonel  Crook  swept  the  farther 
end  of  the  bridge,  with  the  fire  of  a  battery.  The  two 
regiments  named  rushed  on,  and  overcoming  every  obstacle, 
crossed  the  bridge,  unfurled  the  flag,  and  with  loud  cheers 
gained  the  hill,  ami  planted  their  banners  on  the  crest.  In 
this  fight  at  the  bridge  the  brave  Colonel  Kingsbury  of  the 
Eleventh  Connecticut  was  killed. 

Rodman's  division  had  successfully  carried  out  the  orders 
received,  and  joined  the  brave  troops  who  had  succeeded  in 
crossing  the  bridge. 

At  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  a  general  advance  was 
ordered,  on  the  right  and  left.  Franklin,  on  the  right,  was 
ordered  to  drive  out  the  enemy  and  occupy  the  woods,. 
Before  these  commands  could  be  executed,  General  Sumner 
sent  word  to  head-quarters  that  the  right  would  be  in  great 
peril  should  Franklin  be  dsfeated.  a,s  his  own  troops  were 
not  in  a  proper  condition  to  form  a  reserve.  Franklin  was 
then  instructed  to  avoid  defeat  at  all  hazards,  and  according- 
ly confined  his  attention  to  engaging  the  enemy  with  artil- 
lery, in  order  to  make  a  diversion  while  Burnside  was 
ad  vancing. 

The  corps  of  Burnside,  when  the  battle  began,  numbered 
btxteen  thousand.  His  effective  force,  in  the  critical  enter- 
prise which  he  was  about  to  undertake,  did  not  exceed  four 
teen  thousand. 


BATTLE   OF    iNTIETAlL  2<J5 

He  sent  his  artillery  forward,  and  moved  on  with  his 
corps.  Wilcox's  division,  and  Crook's  brigade,  on  the  right, 
moved  along  the  crescent  ridge  which  faces  the  river,  toward 
Sharpsburg.  These  troops  were  exposed  to  the  fire  of  the 
batteries  on  the  ridge.  On  the  left,  General  Rodman  and 
Colonel  Scammon  advanced,  and  scaled  the  hill  to  its  summit, 
under  a  heavy  fire  of  artillery  and  musketry.  The  entiie 
line  enthusiastically  advanced.  Franklin  moved  his  batteries 
on  the  right»  and  Burnside  advanced  in  full  view  of  McClel 
Ian.  It  was  a  magnificent  scene,  varied  with  hill  and  dale 
water  and  forest,  and  illuminated  with  the  mild  rays  of  a 
September  sun.  Burnside's  right  was  approaching  neai 
Shurpsburg.  The  left  of  the  line,  under  General  Rodman 
and  Colonel  Scamrnon,  though  exposed  to  a  heavy  fire,  had 
overcome  the  enemy,  driving  them  back  with  the  bayonet. 
The  Sixteenth  Connecticut,  of  General  Harland's  brigade, 
was  composed  of  new  troops,  and  oocupied  a  ravine  between 
a  hill,  and  a  field  of  corn.  The  national  flag  had  been  raised 
in  the  cornfield  as  a  decoy  by  the  treacherous  enemy 
When  these  raw  troops  approached,  they  were  attacked 
with  a  deadly  volley,  which  drove  them  back  in  disorder  ca 
the  Fourth  Rhode  Island,  which  lost  its  color-bearer  by  the 
same  strategem.  Two  lieutenants  rescued  the  colors. 

During  Burnside's  last  advance,  the  enemy  received  rein- 
forcements, consisting  of  the  troops  left  \>y  Jackson  at 
Harper's  Forry.  Their  dark  lines  and  bristling  batteries 
now  accumulated  on  the  semicircular  ridge.  To  counteract 
the  movement  of  the  foe,  the  Federals  were  compelled  to 
change  their  course  in  the  advance  on  Sharpsburg.  The 
reserve,  under  Sturgis,  was  ordered  up,  and  the  combined 
force  now  engaged  the  masses  of  the  enemy,  who  made  every 
effort  to  regain  the  ground  previously  lost. 

In  this  struggle,  the  gallant  General  Rodman  fell  mortally 
wounded,  while  forming  his  troops  to  repel  an  attack  of  the 
enemy.  This  unhappy  circumstance  caused  confusion,  and 
Colonel  Ilarland's  brigade  was  repulsed  with  heavy  loss. 
Reinforcements  were  again  and  again  demanded  by  General 
Burnside,  but  none  arrived.  He  then  ordered  the  troops  to 
fall  back  to  the  cover  of  a  hill  in  the  rear.  McClellan  was 
informed  by  Burnside,  that  without  troops  and  guns  as  rein- 
forcements, he  could  not  hold  his  position  half  an  hour 
All  the  assistance  he  received  however,  consisted  only  of 


266  LEE    ESCAPES    ACROSS   THE    POTOMAC. 

Miller's  battery ;  yet  the  reserve,  under  Fitz  John  Porter 
consisting  of  fifteen  thousand  men,  had  not  struck  a  single 
blow.  McClellan  ordered  Burnside  to  hold  the  bridge,  ad- 
ding, "  If  the  bridge  is  lost,  all  is  lost." 

The  sun  went  down.  The  indecisive  battle  ended.  The 
cannonading  died  away,  and  all  was  still.  The  Union  loss 
jvas  two  thousand  and  ten  killed,  nine  thousand  four  hundred 
and  sixteen  wounded,  and  one  thousand  and  forty-three  mis- 
sing. The  Confederates  owned  a  loss  of  fourteen  thousand, 
l>ut  General  McClellan  stated  it  to  be  twenty-five  thousand 
five  hundred  and  forty-two.  The  battle  was  not  renewed 
next  day,  and  the  foe,  during  the  night,  left  his  position 
and  crossed  the  Potomac.  The  enemy,  on  the  18th,  made 
a  feigned  movement  of  crossing  troops  to  the  north  side 
of  the  Potomac,  as  reinforcements.  On  the  23d,  Harper's 
Ferry  was  occupied  by  the  Union  army,  which  remained 
there  until  October  26th,  five  weeks  after  the  battle  of 
Antietam. 

The  delay  in  bringing  on  this  battle,  caused  it  to  be  fought 
against  forces  which  might  have  been  beaten  in  detail,  while 
the  want  of  concert  in  action  of  the  Union  troops,  the  failure 
to  bring  in  the  reserves,  and  the  permitting  the  escape  of  the 
enemy,  were  grand  mistakes.  The  foe,  however,  departed 
very  severely  punished 


CHAPTER  XXVL 

SEPTEMBER — OCTOBER,   1862. 

•ATTLK  OF  MUMFORDVILLE,   KENTUCKY — BRAVERY  OF  TIIK  FEDERAL  T  ROOfi 

MORGAN  EVACUATES    CUMBERLAND    GAP ENGAGEMENT  AT    CAVK    CI1 1 

— CONFEDERATES  DEFEATED  AT  WASHINGTON,  NORTH  CAROLINA — GUN- 
BOAT PICKET  EXPLODES — POLITICAL  ASPECT  OF  THE  WAR MR.  LINCOLN*! 

PROCLAMATION  OF  EMANCIPATION — SUSPENDS  THB  WRIT  OF  HABEAS 
CORPUS — REBELS  DEFEATED  AT  OWENBORO,  KENTUCKY — BATTLK  OF  IUKA 
— CONVENTION  OF  GOVERNORS  OF  THK  LOYAL  STATES,  AT  ALATOONA, 
PENNSYLVANIA — EFFECT  ON  THE  PEOPLE — MR.  FOOTED  PEACE  PROPOSI- 
TION IN  THE  CONFEDERATE  CONGRESS — BATTLE  OF  AUGUSTA,  KENTUCKY 
— BATTLE  OF  CORINTH,  MISSISSIPPI — VALOROUS  CONDUCT  OF  OFFICERS 
AND  MEN — REBEL  DESIGNS  ON  THK  NORTHWEST  ABANDONED — STUART1* 
RAID  INTO  PENNSYLVANIA — GREAT  FEDERAL  CAVALRY  CHIEFS. 

WE  now  direct  our  attention  to  the  military  operations  in 
other  parts  of  the  country.  On  the  14th  of  September,  a 
spirited  engagement  took  place  at  Mumfordville,  Kentucky, 
between  the  Confederate  forces,  under  Generals  Buckner 
and  Cheatham,  of  Bragg's  army,  and  the  Federal  forces 
posted  there,  under  Colonel  Wilder.  The  enemy  had  pre- 
viously marched  from  Glasgow  to  attack  General  Rosseau, 
who,  with  a  part  of  Buell's  army,  was  posted  at  Wood- 
land. Cheatham  was  left  near  that  place,  and  Buckner 
moved  on  Mumfordville  to  attack  Colonel  Wilder.  The  en- 
gagement at  the  latter  place,  was  began  at  five  o'clock  P.  M.  by 
the  enemy,  who  having  driven  in  the  Federal  pickets,  poured 
in  a  heavy  fire  from  the  woods.  The  Federals  made  a  firm 
resistance,  and  the  left  wing  of  the  enemy  was  finally  com- 
pelled to  withdraw.  Their  right  wing,  being  protected  by 
breastworks,  was  more  successful,  and  the  left  formed  in  a 
better  position.  A  determined  attack  was  now  made  ontho 
Federal  right.  A  Mississippi  and  Georgia  regiment  were 
conspicuous  for  their  bravery.  After  losing  the  colonel  of 
the  one,  and  the  major  of  the  other,  both  broke  and  fled, 
pursued  by  the  gallant  Indiana  troops,  led  bravely  on  by 
Major  Abbott,  of  the  Sixty-seventh  regiment  (Indiana),  who 
was  soon  slain  by  a  rifle  sh  >t  from  the  foe.  After  their  first 
retake  on  their  right  wing  'Me  Confederate  again  advanced 


268      CONFEDERATES    DEFEATED   AT  WASHINGTON,  N.  0. 

in  fine  order,  and  rushed  up  to  the  very  intrenehments. 
Here  a  fierce  combat  took  place.  Finally  the  enemy  was 
driven  from  the  field  ;  but  the  battle  was  not  yet  over,  and 
Colonel  Wilder  was  summoned  to  surrender.  The  amount 
of  rebel  force  was  stated,  and  also  the  propinquity  of  Bragg'i 
army.  Colonel  Wilder,  having  been  reinforced  by  four 
hundred  troops  of  the  Fiftieth  Indiana,  refused.  The  enemy 
having  obtaii.ed  permission  to  remove  their  dead  and 
wounded,  withdrew  from  the  front,  and  fortified  in  a  new 
position.  There  was  no  fighting  on  Monday,  the  15th 
On  that  day,  Colonel  Dunham,  of  the  Fiftieth  Indiana,  took 
command  as  the  ranking  officer,  and  was  reinforced  by  one 
thousand  men.  The  rebels  renewed  the  attack  at  half  past 
nine,  A.  M.,  and  being  augmented  by  the  addition  of  one 
whole  wing  of  Bragg's  army,  a  desperate  action  ensued, 
which  lasted  till  half  past  four  P.  M.  Bragg  himself  de- 
manded a  surrender,  and  as  Colonel  Dunham  was  surrounded 
by  an  army  of  twenty-five  thousand  men,  with  sixty  pieces 
of  artillery,  he  finally  capitulated  with  all  the  honors  of  war 
The  Union  loss  was  thirty-seven  killed  and  wounded,  and 
four  thousand  prisoners.  The  enemy  lost  one  thousand 
killed  and  wounded.  General  Morgan  evacuated  Cumber- 
land Gap  at  the  same  time.  On  the  18th,  there  was  a  con- 
flict between  portions  of  Buell's  and  Bragg's  armies,  near 
Cave  City,  Kentucky,  in  which  the  former  having  attacked 
the  rear-guard  of  the  latter,  defeated  it. 

On  the  6th  of  September,  a  body  of  Confederate  troops 
made  a  desperate  attack  on  the  Union  forces  at  Washington, 
North  Carolina.  General  Martin  commanded  the  Confeder- 
ate, and  Colonel  Potter  the  Union  troops.  The  attack  was 
made  in  the  morning,  and  was  intended  to  be  a  surprise, 
with  the  object  of  destroying  the  works,  burning  the  town, 
and  capturing  the  loyal  citizens.  Some  of  the  Federal 
troops,  fortunately,  were  under  arms.  The  fight  continued 
for  awhiie,  when  the  rest  of  the  troops  charged  the  enemy 
through  the  town,  and  the  streets  were  partially  cleared 
The  gunboat  Louisiana,  soon  opened  with  grape  and  canistei 
on  the  portion  of  the  town  in  which  the  enemy  had  collected, 
and  quickly  d  ispersed  them.  They  rushed  to  their  intreneh- 
ments, from  which  they  were  pursued  eight  miles  by  a 
gquadron  of  cavalry.  The  Federal  gunboat  Picket  accident 
ally  exploded  during  this  engagement,  by  which  sad  occur- 


TH«    EMANCIPATION   PROCLAMATION.  260 

rence  nineteen  persons  were  killed,  and  Captain  Nichols, 
with  eight  men,  severely  wounded.  On  the  same  day,  also, 
General  Bragg  advanced  on  Nashville,  and  the  Federal 
gunboats  shelled  Hambet,  Mississippi. 

The  civil  and  political  aspect  of  the  war  now  demand 
our  attention.  On  the  22d  of  September,  President  Lincoln 
issued  a  proclamation,  which  will  ever  be  a  portion  of 
National  history  to  be  held  in  everlasting  remembrance.  It 
stated  his  intention  of  recommending  to  Congress,  at  its 
next  session,  a  measure  to  aid  and  compensate  all  States  not 
then  in  rebellion,  who  might  afterward  adopt  the  immediate 
or  gradual  diminution  of  slavery  within  their  limits ;  and 
advising  the  continuance  of  the  colonization  of  free  negroes 
at  some  distant  place  on  the  American  continent.  It  further 
stated,  that  the  President  would,  on  the  1st  of  January,  1863, 
designate  those  States  and  parts  of  States  which  were  then 
in  rebellion,  and  decreed  that  the  slaves  of  citizens  of  such 
regions  should  then  become  free,  and  that  all  slaves  of  those 
engaged  in  hostilities  to  the  United  States,  should  thence- 
forth be  enfranchised.  Mr.  Lincoln  also  recapitulated  the 
ietails  of  several  Acts  of  Congress  of  March  13th,  and  July 
7th,  1862,  forbidding  the  slaves  of  rebels  who  came  within 
the  Federal  lines,  to  be  restored  to  their  former  owners,  or 
the  employment  of  the  Federal  forces  in  any  way  to  aid  such 
restoration.  This  remarkable  proclamation  was  considered 
by  many  to  be  prudent,  as  a  war  measure,  and  just,  on  the 
score  of  humanity.  By  the  former,  a  great  blow  was  struck 
at  rebellion  ;  by  the  latter,  disgrace  was  about  to  be  wiped 
from  the  national  escutcheon  The  fiat  had  gone  forth,  and 
slavery  was  doomed  to  be  no  more. 

Another  proclamation  was  issued  on  the  24th  of  Septem- 
ber, by  which  the  President  decreed  that  while  rebellion 
continued,  all  aiders  and  abettors  within  the  limits  of  the 
United  States,  all  who  should  discourage  volunteer  enlist- 
ments, or  be  guilty  of  other  disloyal  practices  against  the 
authority  of  the  Federal  Government,  should  thenceforth 
be  subject  to  martial  law,  and  be  punished  by  courts-martia^ 
or  military  commissions.  It  was  also  decreed  that  the  writ 
df  habeas  corpus  should  be  suspended  in  the  case  of  all 
persons  who  should  be  arrested  for  these  causes,  during  the 
continuance  of  the  rebellion,  and  were  imprisoned  by  any 
military  authority,  by  the  sentence  of  any  court-martial,  or 
by  the  decree  of  any  military  Commissiea. 


270  BATTLE   OF   IUKA 

On  the  9tli  of  September,  1862,  a  great  victory  waa 
gained  over  the  rebels  under  Sterling  Price,  by  General 
William  H.  Rosecrans,  at  the  village  of  luka,  Mississippi. 
The  former,  with  twenty  thousand  men,  had  left  Tupelo,  to 
cross  the  Tennessee  at  Muscle  Shoals,  and  join  Bragg.  To 
defeat  this  object,  General  Grant,  who  commanded  the 
Union  forces  in  that  vicinity,  sent  General  Rosecrans,  with 
twenty  thousand  men,  to  Rienzi,  and  General  Ord,  with 
another  body  of  troops,  to  luka,  while  his  own  army 
remained  at  Corinth.  This  plan  of  the  Union  general,  if 
carried  out,  would  include  the  rebels  within  the  lines  of  a 
triangle,  and  thus  their  escape  would  be  difficult.  General 
Rosecrans  reached  Rienzi.  Price,  however,  adroitly  evaded 
the  snare,  and  crossed  the  country  diagonally  toward  luka. 
Rosecrans  pursued  him  thither,  and  arrived  just  as  the  rear- 
guard of  the  Confederates  was  leaving  it.  The  men  had 
marched  twenty  miles,  but  Rosecrans,  continuing  the  pursuit 
two  miles  beyond  the  town,  encountered  the  enemy's  skir- 
mishers. As  night  supervened,  the  armies  lay  down  in 
sight  of  each  other,  till  the  early  dawn  called  them  to  the 
sombat.  Rosecrans  so  arranged  his  troops  as  partially  to 
encompass  the  enemy  in  his  well  chosen  position.  General 
Hamilton  held  the  Federal  right,  Rosecrans  commanded  the 
centre,  and  General  Stanley  the  left.  The  battle  raged  with 
varying  fortune  until  noon.  A  resolute  charge  of  the 
enemy  had,  at  one  time,  cut  through  the  Eleventh  Missouri 
and  the  Twenty-seventh  Illinois,  with  heavy  loss  to  these 
regiments.  The  efforts  of  the  foe  were  rendered  unsuccess- 
ful by  the  Federal  artillery,  which,  being  served  with 
admirable  effect,  turned  the  tide  of  victory.  The  rebel  lines* 
wavered,  broke,  and  fell  into  retreat.  The  pursuit  was 
made  some  distance  by  the  Union  forces,  but  the  enemy 
escaped,  with  the  loss  of  three  hundred  prisoners,  and  five 
hundred  killed  and  wounded.  The  Union  loss  was  three 
hundred  and  fifty  killed  and  wounded.  On  the  20th,  the 
Confederate  arms  again  suffered  a  reverse  at  Owensboro, 
Kentucky.  The  contest  was  not  of  so  much  importance  as 
to  reqiire  any  particular  mention.  It  formed,  however, 
one  of  a  series  planned  by  General  Bragg. 

On  the  24th,  a  convention  of  the  Governors  of  loyal 
States,  took  place  at  Alatoona,  Pennsylvania;  their  de- 
liberations \rere  se-.ret.  The  result  afterward  transpired,  in 


OONVENTION   OF   GOVERNORS   OF   LOYAL   STATES.    271 

the  adoption  of  an  address  to  the  President,  which  they 
presented  to  him  at  Washington.  It  professed  attachment 
to  the  President,  and  a  pledge  to  assist  him  in  his  constitu- 
tional authority,  throughout  their  respective  States.  Also, 
a  promise  was  made  of  using  all  the  means  in  their  power 
to  bring  back  the  rebellious  States  to  their  allegiance 
The  "Emancipation  Proclamation"  was  declared  to  be 
fruitful  of  beneficial  results,  and  the  brave  Union  soldiers 
called  forth  a  large  share  of  gubernatorial  praise  and  sym 
pathy.  The  President  thanked  the  Governors,  "felt  en- 
couraged," and  "  would  use  their  suggestions  as  far  as  his 
sense  of  duty  permitted."  The  cordial  and  harmonious 
conversation  which  then  ensued,  had  an  excellent  effect  on 
the  public  mind,  in  the  prosecution  of  the  war. 

At  this  period,  the  following  resolution  of  Mr.  Foote,  of 
Tennessee,  was  brought  before  the  Confederate  Congress,  then 
in  session  at  Eichmond:  "Resolved,  by  the  Congress  of  the 
Confederate  States  of  America,  that  the  signal  success  with 
which  Divine  Providence  has  so  continually  blessed  our 
arms,  for  several  months  past,  would  fully  justify  the  Con- 
federate  Government  in  despatching  a  commissoner  or 
commissioners  to  the  Government  at  Washington  City, 
empowered  to  propose  the  terms  of  an  honorable  peace." 
Mr.  Foote  had  feeble  hopes  that  the  Executive  Government 
would  receive  such  commissioners,  but  he  deemed  the 
rejection  on  the  part  of  the  Federal  Government  of  the 
terms  of  "a  just  and  honorable  peace,"  would  exculpate  the 
Confederates  in  the  eyes  of  the  civilized  world,  while  the 
former  would  be  responsible  for  the  further  effusion  o^ 
blood.  Mr.  Foote  remarked  that  "such  a  succession  of 
brilliant  victoriee  had  never  heretofore  adorned  the  annals 
of  history,"  and  "it  was  the  part  of  magnanimous  conquer- 
ors to  tender  the  olive  branch  of  peace  to  their  humbled 
foes."  The  Confederate  Congress  voted  down  this  propo 
sition  by  a  large  majority. 

On  the  27th,  a  spirited  contest  took  place  at  Augusta, 
Kentucky,  between  a  body  of  six  hundred  rebel  cavalry, 
under  Colonel  Morgan,  and  the  Union  forces,  one  hundred 
and  twenty  strong,  posted  in  that  place,  under  Colonc. 
Bradford.  The  fight  was  maintained  with  great  heroism 
for  some  time  by  the  patriot  band,  but  overwhelmed  by 
numbers  they  were  compelled  to  surrender,  with  a  loss  of 


872  B1TTLE   OF   CORINTH,    MISSISSIPPI. 

nine  killeJ  and  fifteen  wounded.  The  Confedeiate  loss  wai 
seventy-£re  killed,  wounded,  and  missing.  Among  their 
killed  was  Lieutenant-colonel  Prentice,  son  of  George  D. 
Prentice,  of  the  Louisville  Journal. 

After  the  battle  of  luka,  General  Price  moved  rapicly  in 
a  southwesterly  direction,  passing  around  Corinth,  and 
crossing  the  Mobile  and  Ohio  railroad  at  Baldwin.  He 
then  advanced  northwest,  and,  passing  through  Ripley, 
joined  Van  Dorn  and  Lovell  on  the  route  arriving,  on  the 
80th  of  September,  within  ten  miles  of  Corinth. 

In  the  meantime,  General  Rosecrans  had  retired  from 
luka,  and  reoccupied  Corinth,  from  which  General  Grant 
had  previously  withdrawn  bis  army  to  Jackson,  Tennessee 
The  army  under  General  Rosecrans  consisted  of  four 
divisions,  under  Generals  Hamilton,  McKean.  Davies,  and 
Stanley.  Its  strength  was  about  twenty  thousand  mea 
The  rebeis  were  twice  that  number,  commanded  by  Gene- 
rals Price,  Van  Dorn,  Villepigue,  and  Rust.  It  was  uncer- 
tain whether  the  latter  intended  only  a  feint  on  Corinth,  an 
advance  upon  the  north,  an  attack  upon  Grant  at  Jackson, 
to  separate  Rosecrans  from  the  north,  or  a  direct  attack 
upon  his  position.  General  Davies'  and  part  of  McKeanV 
division,  were  sent  to  Chewald  to  reconnoitre.  Skirmish- 
ing took  place  on  the  1st  and  2d  of  October,  and  the  next 
day  the  rebels  were  in  such  force  as  indicated  that  an 
attack  was  about  to  be  made.  Their  advance  wae  resisted 
by  Rosecrans,  who  determined  to  give  them  battle  within 
the  strong  intrenchments  of  Corinth.  New  redoubts  were 
constructed  in  an  interior  line,  and  a  corps  of  "contraband" 
sappers  and  miners  was  constantly  engaged. 

The  Federal  troops,  by  the  3d,  had  received  some  injury. 
General  Oglesby  was  wounded,  and  General  Hackleman 
kuled.  The  division  of  General  Davies  had  been  fighting 
biuvely  all  day  against  superior  numbers,  and  the  officers 
were  anxious  as  to  the  result;  Rosecrans,  however,  being 
confident  of  victory,  did  not  share  this  anxiety.  The 
annies  rested  for  the  night,  and  on  the  4th,  at  half  past  three 
o'clock  A.  M.,  the  battle  was  renewed  by  Lieutenant  II.  C. 
Robinet,  with  his  battery  of  heavy  guns.  The  enemy  re 
sponded,  and  the  artillery  combat  continued  till  six  o'clock. 
Some  additional  batteries  wc'e  then  brought  up,  and  the 
Confederates  were  driven  from  heir  position  by  an  enfilading 


BATTLE   OF  CORINTH,   MISSISSIPPI.  278 

fire.  Some  caissons  were  captured  by  part  of  the  Eighty- 
third  Ohio,  and  a  splendid  battery  of  James'  rifled  cannon 
was  obtained  ;  two  Parrott  guns,  lost  the  day  before,  were 
recovered  by  the  Thirty-ninth  Ohio.  The  enemy,  led  by 
Colonel  Rodgers,  at  half  past  ten  o'clock  made  a  determined 
attack  upon  the  redoubts.  Fearful  was  the  destruction  to 
their  columns,  thirty  men  being  killed  or  wounded  by  the 
explosion  of  a  single  shell.  The  foe,  undaunted,  still  pressed 
->n,  and  entering  the  streets  of  the  town,  a  direful  combat 
resulted.  The  most  terrible  conflict  arose  for  the  possession 
of  Robinet's  battery.  The  moment  was  critical.  Colonel 
Rogers  led  his  men  forward  with  a  valor  worthy  of  a  better 
cause.  In  vain  the  columns  of  the  bold  Confederates  were 
swept  by  a  withering  fire  from  every  gun.  The  bleeding, 
shattered  ranks  melted  away,  and  the  warm  blood  of  dead 
and  dying  crimsoned  the  earth  ;  yet  the  resolute  band,  with 
closed  ranks,  pressed  on  in  the  shadow  of  death,  and  charged 
the  battery  with  great  ferocity.  The  Federals  met  them  • 
with  a  courage  never  surpassed,  and  a  determination  to  con- 
quer or  die.  The  parapet  is  scaled.  With  teeth  firmly  set 
laboring  breath,  and  flashing  eyes,  the  noble  defenders  of 
their  country  assail  the  audacious  foe.  Twice  the  desperate 
attack  is  hurled  back.  The  third,  more  successful,  gains 
the  outer  works.  The  Confederate  ensign  flaunts  insolently 
on  the  parapet.  It  is  torn  into  shreds  by  bullets,  again  to 
rise,  and  again  to  be  destroyed.  The  rebels  hold  for  awhile 
the  ground  they  have  won.  Williams'  and  Robinet's  batteries 
now  pour  such  a  fire  on  the  rebel  position,  that  none 
can  withstand.  They  are  swept  before  it,  and  com- 
pelled to  abandon  the  works,  leaving  behind  them  two 
hundred  and  sixty  of  their  slaughtered  comrades.  Their 
broken  ranks  are  pursued  and  routed  by  Colonel  Mower. 
Nearly  all  their  officers  were  killed,  among  them  Colonel 
Rodgers.  At  noon,  they  were  utterly  defeated,  and  retired 
to  their  former  camp.  Rosecrans  gave  them  no  rest,  and 
drove  the  fugitives  before  him  toward  Chevalla ;  fighting 
still  continued  between  the  Confederates  and  their  pursuers, 
but  eventually  the  former  made  good  their  escape.  The 
trophies  of  this  well  fought  battle,  were  a  large  quantity  of 
ammunition,  guns,  and  baggage.  The  Union  loss  was  three 
hundred  and  fifteen  killed,  including  General  Hackleman, 
one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  tvelve  wounded,  and  two 


274  STUART'S  RAID  INTO  PENNSYLVANIA. 

hundred  and  thirty-two  prisoners  and  missing.  The  Con 
federate  loss  amounted  to  one  thousand  four  hundred  anq 
twenty-three  killed,  five  thousand  six  hundred  and  ninety  two 
wounded,  and  two  thousand  two  hundred  and  forty-eiglu 
taken  prisoners,  including  one  hundred  and  thirty-seven 
officers  This  victory  shows  the  great  valor  of  the  Unies 
troops,  and  displays  the  remarkable  success  of  Rosccrano 
Thus  ended  the  fruitless  attempt  on  the  part  of  the  Con 
federates,  to  invade  the  loyal  States  of  the  Northwest. 
Their  design  to  carry  the  war  North  was  rendered  abortive. 

Kirby  Smith  had  entered  Kentucky,  and  at  Richmond, 
defeated  the  new  troops  sent  to  dispute  his  passage.  He 
had  caused  the  Federals  to  evacuate  Cumberland  Gap,  and 
after  exciting  great  apprehensions  for  the  safety  of  Cincin- 
nati, he  retreated  without  molestation.  Bragg,  who  acted  in 
concert  with  him,  had  eluded  General  Buell  without  a  battle. 
He  now  threatened  Nashville  and  Bowling  Green,  invaded 
Kentucky,  and  defeated  and  captured  the  Union  forces  who 
opposed  him  at  Mumfordsville. 

The  rebel  Generals  Morgan  and  Forrest  had  been  baffled 
in  their  attempts  on  Nashville,  a  little  later ;  the  attempt  to 
recapture  Fort  Donelson  had  also  failed.  The  plan  which 
Bragg  had  successfully  tried  with  General  Buell,  signally 
failed  with  such  able  commanders  as  Grant  and  Rosecrans. 
lie  found  the  hero  of  luka  too  wily,  as  well  as  too  intrepid, 
and  was  himself  nearly  captured.  The  attempt  of  Price, 
Van  D~rn,  and  Lovell,  to  regain  possession  of  Corinth,  was 
repelled  with  heavy  loss.  The  rebels  were  outgeneralled ; 
the  invasion  was  a  signal  failure,  and  the  design  was  conse- 
quently abandoned. 

General  Lee,  as  far  back  as  August,  had  conceived  the 
design  of  a  raid  on  Pennsylvania.  Accordingly,  he  ordered 
General  J.  E.  B.  Stuart,  on  the  8th  of  October,  to  cross  the 
Potomac  above  Williamsport  with  fifteen  hundred  cavalry 
and  leaving  Ilagerstown  and  Greencastle  on  the  right,  to 
move  to  the  rear  of  Chambersburg,  destroy  the  railroad 
bridge  across  the  Concocheague,  and  inflict  such  other  dam- 
age on  the  loyal  people  as  he  should  deem  expedient.  He 
(Lee)  at  the  same  time  instructed  Colonel  Imboden,  with 
another  body  of  cavalry,  to  make  a  feint  on  Cumberlan-1, 
Maryland,  to  draw  off  attention  from  Stuart's  operations. 
Stuart,  in  purs-ianoe  of  his  insl  motions,  left  Darksville  en 


STUART'S  RAID  INTO  PENNSYLVANIA.  275 

the  9th  of  October,  with  the  force  designated,  and  supported 
by  four  pieces  of  artillery.  Crossing  the  Potomac  early  on 
the  10th,  at  McCoy's  ford,  between  Williamsport  and  Han 
cock,  he  moved  north  to  the  great  national  road  between 
Hancock  and  Hagerstown.  Ilere  he  captured  a  signal 
station  and  ten  prisoners,  and  at  noon  reached  Mercersburg 
Without  halting,  he  moved  rapidly  on  Chambersburg,  and 
arrived  at  that  town  on  the  llth.  No  attempt  was  made 
upon  the  supplies  at  Hagerstown,  as  the  army  of  McClellan 
was  in  too  close  proximity. 

The  motley  force  of  Stuart,  at  Chambersburg,  was 
conducted  to  the  Provost-marshal's,  as  no  one  made 
a  profession  of  holding  any  office  in  the  town.  Stuart 
demanded  an  immediate  surrender  of  the  place,  on 
pain  of  its  being  shelled  in  three  minutes.  An  interview 
then  took  place  between  him  and  some  influential  citizens.  . 
On  condition  of  security  to  person,  and  restraint  from  plun- 
der, the  town  was  surrendered  without  resistance,  and  the 
rebels  occupied  the  place.  Breaking  open  the  stables,  they 
took  the  best  horses,  carried  away  from  the  barns  all  the 
forage  which  they  could  bea^  and  plundered  several  stores. 
In  this  work,  the  night  was  busily  spent.  Next  morning  at 
nine  o'clock,  they  laid  the  machine  shops  and  warehouses  of 
the  Valley  railroad  in  ashes.  No  money  was  found  in  the 
bank,  as  it  had  been  conveyed  to  a  place  of  safety.  They 
destroyed  the  telegraph,  and  paroled  two  hundred  and  sev- 
enty-five soldiers  who  were  sick  and  wounded  in  the  hospital. 
Moving  toward  South  Mountain,  they  proceeded  i»  the 
direction  of  Gettysburg,  and  crossing  the  Blue  Ridge,  re- 
turned toward  Hagerstown,  then  toward  Emmettsburg, 
after  which  they  marched  on  Frederick.  Before  reaching 
the  latter  place,  they  crossed  the  Monocacy,  and  moved 
during  the  night  through  Liberty,  New  Market,  and  Mon- 
rovia. After  capturing  a  few  wagons  at  Hyatt ville,  they 
proceeded  toward  Poolesville,  and  when  near  the  Monocacy 
encountered  the  Union  cavalry  under  General  Alfred  Pleas- 
onton,  consisting  of  a  part  of  the  Eighth  Illinois,  Third  In- 
diana, and  two  guns  of  Remington's  battery ;  a  brisk  artillery 
duel  ensued.  During  its  continuance,  the  main  body  of  the 
enemy  moved  toward,  and  crossed  the  Potomac  without 
Losing  a  man,  tho1  igh  se  'eral  were  wounded  Pleasontcn'g 


276  GREAT    FEDERAL    CAVALRY    CHIEFS. 

whole  force  did  not  exceed  five  hundred.     The  raid  was 
successful,  and  the  enemy  escaped. 

The  Confederate  cavalry  had  been  organized  and  waa 
very  efficient.  This  arm  of  the  service  had  hitherto  been 
neglected  by  the  Federals.  A  change  in  this  respect,  how- 
ever, took  place,  and  shall  be  described  on  a  future  page,  in 
which  the  superiority  of  the  Union  cavalry  will  be  apparent. 
Such  great  cavalry  chiefs  as  Stoneman,  Pleasonton,  Kilpat- 
rick,  Averill,  Ouster,  Merritt,  Wilson,  Sheridan  and  others, 
vrill  be  found  to  shine  forth  with  undying  renown,  and  to  be 
equal  to  the  most  illustrious  of  any,  both  of  ancient  02 
a-jdern  times. 


CHAPTEK    XX  Vll 

OCTOBEB,    1862. 

•ATTI.IC  OF  LAVKRONK.  TKNNKSSEK — BATTLK   OP   THK    HATOHIR 

KXPKDITION  TO  THK  ST.  JOHN'S  RIVKR,  FLORIDA BATTLK  OF   PKRRT 

VILLE GALLANTRY  OF  ROS8KAU THK  NINTH  PENNSYLVANIA  CAVAI.R1 

K80APK  OF  BRAGO BUKLL  RKMOVED  FROM  THK  COMMAND — GKNKKAl 

ROSKCRANS  COMMANDS  THK  ARMY  OF  THK  OHIO THE  PLUNDER  CARRIK5 

OKP  FROM  KENTUCKY — EPITOMK  OF  MINOR  KVKNT3. 

ON  the  7th  of  October,  1862,  General  James  Negley  or- 
dered a  movement  against  a  detachment  of  the  enemy  under 
General  Samuel  Anderson,  posted  at  Lavergne,  near  Nashville, 
Tennessee,  which  proved  successful,  and  caused  them  to 
decamp.  The  Union  force  employed  for  this  purpose  was 
divided  into  two  "^lumns,  led  by  Colonels  Palmer  and 
Miller.  They  first  Jioved  on  Lavergne  by  the  Murfrees- 
boro  road,  and  the  latter  pursued  a  route  on  the  left  of  the 
railroad.  On  reaching  the  Confederate  camp,  an  attempt 
was  made  to  outflank  them  by  the  Thirty-second  Alabama, 
mossed  on  their  righi.  The  enemy  was  thrown  into  some 
confusion  by  the  explosion  of  a  shell  in  their  powder  maga- 
zine. The  battle  raged  with  great  fury.  Colonel  Miller 
fiercely  attacked  the  Alabamians,  and  assisted  by  the 
Seventy-eighth  Pennsylvania,  drove  them  back.  A  cavalry 
charge,  made  on  this  latter  regiment,  was  met  by  a  fire  so 
destructive  as  to  break  the  enemy's  ranks,  and  pursued  in 
utter  rout,  many  surrendered.  They  were  driven  out  of 
their  works  by  artillery,  and  fled  to  the  refuge  of  the 
woods.  A  large  number  of  prisoners  was  captured  by  the 
Fourteenth  Michigan  and  Twenty-first  Ohio.  The  victory 
was  complete  before  General  Negley  had  arrived  from 
Nashville  with  the  reinforcement  of  three  regiments  and  a 
battery.  The  victors  found  in  the  enemy's  camp  one  gun, 
four  hundred  small  arms,  a  regimental  standard,  and  a 
quantity  of  provisions.  The  Federal  loss  was  five  killed, 
nine  wounded,  and  four  missing.  The  Confederate  prison 
era  were  three  hundred  in  number,  including  Colonel* 
Lang  ford  and  Maury,  and  several  other  officers. 

24  (177) 


278  BATTLK   OP   THE    HATCITTE    RIVER. 

On  the  5th  of  October  the  rebels  were  routed  at  Hatehie» 
on  the  Mississippi,  by  a  portion  of  the  patriots  who  had 
covered  themselves  with  glory  at  Corinth.  The  Federals, 
under  Generals  Hurlbut  and  Ord,  consisted  of  thirty  thou- 
sand men.  The  enemy,  under  Van  Dorn  and  Price,  had 
about  the  same  number,  comprising  fifty-six  regiments  of 
infantry  and  three  thousand  cavalry.  Being  pursued  by 
the  two  Union  generals  after  the  battle  of  Corinth,  the  enemy 
were  encountered  near  the  Hatchie  river.  The  Federal 
troops  had  marched  twenty-four  miles  in  the  heat  and  dust 
of  the  day,  and  though  skirmishing  took  place  on  the  4th, 
the  day  of  their  arrival,  no  engagement  ensued.  During 
the  night,  the  enemy  was  busy  in  throwing  up  intrench- 
ments.  On  the  5th,  the  Federals  moved  against  them,  the 
Fourteenth  Illinois  and  Twenty -eighth  Indiana  having  been 
thrown  forward  as  skirmishers. 

A  gentle,  undulating  hill,  which  descended  to  the  bridge 
crossing  the  stream,  was  the  object  for  which  a  heavy 
struggle  took  place  about  nine  o'clock  A.  M.  The  bridge 
was  defended  by  a  battery  supported  with  infantry.  The 
rebel  guns,  at  this  point,  were  responded  to  by  Bolton's 
battery.  An  attempt  to  flank  the  Union  right  wing  was 
defeated  by  the  fire  of  Burnap's  battery,  and  the  expert 
infantry  sharpshooters.  The  advancing  column  of  the 
enemy  was  thrown  into  confusion,  routed,  and  compelled  to 
retire  from  the  field.  All  the  troops  on  both  sides,  except 
those  just  mentioned,  now  began  a  determined  engagement. 
The  first  line  of  the  Federals,  bravely  led  by  General 
James  C.  Yeatch,  became  engaged  with  the  troops  which 
Ihe  enemy  had  sent  across  the  bridge.  The  fight  was 
desperately  maintained  for  twenty  minutes,  when  four  hun- 
dred rebels  surrendered.  Hundreds  more,  fleeing  to  the 
river,  swam  to  the  opposite  bank.  Here,  Colonel  Davis,  of 
the  Forty -sixth  Illinois,  was  seriously  wounded.  During 
this  contest,  General  Hurlbut  led  the  rest  of  the  Union 
troops  to  the  charge,  and  advancing  on  the  bridge,  drove 
the  enemy  across  and  pursued  them.  The  Twenty- fifth 
and  Fifty-third  Indiana,  and  Fourteenth  and  Fifteenth 
Illinois,  pressed  gallantly  on  through  the  storm  of  grape  and 
canister  hurled  upon  the  bridge ;  many  fell  on  the  passage. 
When  these  brave  troops,  and  the  brigade  of  General 
Lanman  had  rossed,  they  charged  and  drove  the  enemy 


BATTLE   OJT   PERBTVILLK.  279 

from  all  their  positions.  The  bravery  of  the  Twelfth 
Michigan,  Sixty-eighth  Ohio,  and  Forty-sixth  Illinois,  was 
conspicuous,  and  the  enemy  was  compelled  to  withdraw 
his  guns.  The  Federal  batteries,  in  the  meantime,  were 
engaged  in  a  combat  with  the  enemy's  artillery,  which  was 
soon  silenced.  The  latter,  at  four  o'clock,  abandoned  the 
field,  and  were  pursued  in  the  direction  of  Cram's  Mills 
Dy  the  Union  cavalry.  The  trophies  of  the  victory  were 
four  rifled  howitzers,  and  one  thousand  stand  of  arras. 
Four  hundred  prisoners  were  also  captured  by  the  Federals, 
whose  loss  was  only  five  hundred  killed  and  wounded. 
After  this  battle,  the  Federals  spent  some  days  in  capturing 
rebels  in  the  adjacent  country,  and  then  returned  to 
Bolivar.  The  defeated  foe  proceeded  to  llolly  Springs, 
and  was  there  joined  by  the  forces  of  General  Pillow. 

On  October  the  3d,  a  Union  expedition  of  one  thousand 
five  hundred  troops  and  seven  gunboats  left  Hilton  Head, 
North  Carolina,  under  command  of  General  Brannan.  It 
concentrated  at  St.  John's  river,  Florida,  and  attacked  and 
occupied  the  rebel  fortifications  on  St.  John's  Blufl'.  Nine 
guns  were  captured,  together  with  a  large  quantity  of 
munitions,  provisions,  and  camp  equipage,  which  had  been 
abandoned  by  the  retreating  rebels.  The  gunboats  after- 
ward ascended  the  river  to  Jacksonvile,  and  the  enemy 
on  their  approach,  retreated.  The  gunboat  Darlington 
returned  on  the  6th,  bringing  the  rebel  steamer  Governor 
Milton,  which  she  had  captured  up  the  river. 

The  battle  of  Perry  ville"  or  Chaplin  Hills,  Kentucky 
which  was  an  important  one,  was  fought  on  the  8th  of  Octo- 
ber, between  General  Buell  and  the  rebel  General  Bragg, 
Buell,  with  his  powerful  army,  had  followed  the  Confederates 
at  a  considerable  distance,  and  the  latter,  on  the  route  from 
Frankfort  to  Harrodsburg,  were  overtaken  by  General 
McCook,  of  Buell's  corps,  near  Perry  ville;  an  engagement 
was  the  result.  McCook's  corps  and  part  of  Thomas',  were 
the  only  Union  troops  engaged  ;  Eosseau,  Jackson,  Sheridan, 
and  Gilbert,  being  the  division  commanders.  The  battle 
began,  at  daylight,  with  a  brisk  attack  on  the  Eighty-fifth 
Illinois  by  the  enemy's  skirmishers.  The  enemy  poured  a 
destructive  fire  from  their  artillery,  and  forced  the  Second 
Michigan  cavalry  to  retire,  and  pressing  on.  they  had  nearly 
taken  the  hill,  whi  ;a  was  occupied  by  the  Thirty  sixth  bri 


280  BATTLE   OF   PIRBTVILL1. 

gade.  This  hill,  which  was  a  position  of  importance,  was 
saved  by  the  brave  Captain  Hoppe,  one  of  the  heroes  of 
Pea  Ridge,  who  commanded  the  Second  Missouri  regiment 
Assisted  by  the  Second  Michigan  and  Fifteenth  Missouri,  he 
rushed  forward  to  the  charge.  In  a  tremendous  shock,  tho 
rebel  line  wavered  and  broke ;  the  fugitives  were  pursued  a 
mile. 

The  great  battle  of  the  day  took  plack  at  ten  o'clock. 
The  cavalry  had  borne  a  conspicuous  part  in  the  action  thus 
far.  A  portion  of  the  Ninth  Pennsylvania,  under  Lieuten- 
ant-colonel James,  had  been  particularly  distinguished  for 
the  heroism  of  both  officers  and  men.  This  brave  regiment, 
with  whom  the  author  afterward  served  as  medical  officer, 
was  one  of  the  finest  bodies  of  gallant  men  ever  sent  by 
Pennsylvania  into  the  field.  The  cavalry  took  no  further 
part  in  the  action  during  the  day,  but  was  posted  in  the 
order  of  battle  to  the  rear,  waiting  an  opportunity  that  did 
not  again  occur.  Both  sides  now  brought  the  artillery 
prominently  forward.  Wooded  hills,  in  front,  concealed  the 
masses  of  the  enemy,  and  their  strength  and  position  could 
not  well  be  ascertained.  At  eleven  o'clock,  they  opened  fire, 
with  great  spirit,  on  the  batteries  of  Simonson  and  Loomis, 
near  the  position  occupied  by  General  Rosseau's  division. 
The  Federal  guns  responded  with  vigor,  and  the  enemy's  posi- 
tion was  gradually  disclosed.  A  terrible  cannonading  from  the 
combatants  was  very  destructive  of  life  on  both  sides.  At 
three  o'clock,  Bragg,  in  person,  led  his  infantry,  which  had 
been  massed,  in  a  ferocious  charge  on  the  Union  centre  and 
left.  The  fierce  attack  of  artillery,  cavalry,  and  infantry, 
upon  Rosseau,  was  hurled  gallantly  back  with  resolute  bra 
very.  The  close  rebel  ranks  were  mowed  down  by  the  fire 
of  Rosseau's  guns,  and  the  well  aimed  volleys  of  his  musket- 
ry, and  the  enemy  were  compelled  to  abandon  the  field, 
leaving  their  dead  and  wounded  behind  them.  Foiled  in 
their  attempt,  the  enemy  now  more  successfully  charged 
General  Jackson's  division,  on  the  extreme  left  wing.  Gen- 
eral B  ickner  led  this  charge  in  person,  and  with  such  im- 
petuosity, that  the  brave  men  of  the  Twenty-first  Wisconsin, 
Eightieth  Illinois,  and  Fifth  Ohio,  were  forced  to  give  way. 
The  men  of  Captain  Parson's  battery  abandoned  their  guns, 
which  fell  into  the  hand  i  of  the  enemy.  The  contagious 
panic  was  communicated  to  the  entire  division  of  GeneraJ 


BAJTLE   OF   PERRYVILLE.  28l 

Jackson,  whtop  Oed  in  disorder  a  quarter  of  a  mile,  but  ral- 
lied, and  agjy.)  termed  in  order  of  battle.  Generals  Jacksoi. 
and  Terroll  v.  r/e  both  killed  in  their  gallant  efforts  to  arrest 
the  disorder  of  their  troops,  and  again  urge  them  upon  the 
exultant  foo.  Flushed  with  success,  General  Bragg  now  re- 
newed \iu  attack  upon  Rosseau.  His  heavy  masses  were  cast 
upon  the  seventeenth  brigade,  commanded  by  Colonel  Lytle. 

Emerging  from  the  woods,  with  bayonets  reflecting  the 
sunbeams,  and  in  proud  array,  the  foe  advanced  with  waving 
banners  and  measured  tread,  to  the  sound  of  military  music. 
Their  leader  and  his  staff  were  superbly  mounted,  and  the 
sight  was  one  of  imposing  magnificence.  The  attack  of  the 
enemy's  cannon,  which  were  now  planted,  was  sustained, 
though  with  great  loss,  by  the  Third  Ohio  and  Forty-sec- 
ond Indiana  regiments.  These  brave  troops,  with  great 
spirit  fought  the  enemy,  whose  infantry  had  come  up  under 
protection  of  the  artillery.  Nobly  the  shock  of  battle 
was  borne  by  these  gallant  patriots,  though  one  third 
of  their  number  moistened  with  their  life's  blood  the  deadly 
battle  field.  Colonel  Bently,  of  the  Third  Ohio,  was  con- 
spicuous for  the  great  heroism  with  which  he  led  his  men, 
who  continued  to  sweep  the  enemy's  ranks  with  a  murder- 
ous fire.  The  accidental  firing,  from  the  scorching  heat,  of 
a  barn  filled  with  hay  on  the  right  of  the  Third  Ohio,  com 
polled  the  men  to  leave  their  ranks,  and  retire  from  their 
position.  The  Fifteenth  Kentucky,  after  resisting  the  enemy 
with  great  firmness,  was  also  forced  to  retire.  The  retreat 
of  these  regiments  left  the  Tenth  Ohio  exposed.  Colonel 
Lytle  anticipated  a  charge  in  front,  and  had  ordered  his 
men  to  lay  on  their  faces.  In  this  situation  the  enemy  made 
a  sudden  attack  upon  them.  Finding  it  impossible  to  form 
in  the  midst  of  the  deadly  fire  which  raked  them,  they  fled, 
ami  their  gallant  leader  died  in  the  unavailing  effort  to  stem 
the  tide  of  battle. 

Meanwhile,  the  enemy  attacked  the  right  and  centre, 
under  Generals  Sheridan  and  Mitchell.  They  charged  up 
the  hill  with  great  impetuosity,  but  their  masses  were  hurled 
back  with  a  grand  repulse,  which  rent  their  shattered  and 
bleeding  ranks,  and  sent  them  fleeing  before  Mitchell^ 
who  followed  them  beyond  Perryville  in  hot  pursuit 
The  seventeenth  brigade,  while  these  events  transpired, 
was  reforn  3d,  and,  supported  by  the  ninth  and  twenty 


282  DEFEAT  AND   ESCAPE   OF   BRAGG. 

eighth  brigades,  charged  the  foe  in  a  desperate  conflict 
of  half  an  hour's  duration.  The  sun  was  setting,  and,  aa 
if  to  wrench  the  victory  from  the  Federals,  the  foe  on 36 
more  rushed  on  in  one  last  parting  charge.  Terrible 
was  the  cannonade  which  then  shook  the  trembling  earth, 
and  startled  the  echoes  of  the  distant  hills.  There  was  at 
last  a  perfect  stillness ;  night  intervened.  The  Union  troops, 
who  had  so  well  sustained  their  country's  honor  on  this  well 
fought  field,  sank  in  repose  on  their  arms.  They  con- 
tinued the  retreat,  and  finally  escaped  through  Powell's 
Gap  into  Tennessee,  and  did  not  halt  till  they  reached  Mur- 
freesboro.  They  were  not  pursued.  They  lost,  in  this  bat- 
tle, four  thousand  five  hundred  killed,  wounded,  and  missing; 
the  Federals,  eight  hundred  and  twenty  killed,  including 
Generals  Jackson  and  Terrell,  and  two  thousand  wounded. 

General  Buell's  head-quarters  were  but  two  and  a  half 
miles  from  the  scene  of  this  dire  conflict.  Gilbert  was  near, 
and  Crittenden  not  far  off.  With  the  exception  of  two  bri- 
gades, no  reinforcements  were  sent  up,  and  General  McCook's 
division  alone  repelled  the  foe.  The  whole  of  Bragg's  army 
might  have  been  totally  annihilated,  had  it  not  been  for  the 
stolid  indifference  of  Buell. 

Thus  ended  Bragg's  invasion  of  Kentucky,  the  result  ot 
which  was  a  disappointment  to  the  Confederates.  They  haa 
calculated  upon  a  different  reception,  and  cherished  good 
hopes  of  gaining  possession  of  Louisville  and  Cincinnati. 
Their  intention  was  to  push  the  war  from  the  Cotton  into  the 
Border  States,  and  continue  their  operations  till  the  North 
became  a  scene  of  desolation.  Providence  mercifully  frus- 
trated their  intentions,  and  blighted  their  hopes ;  however, 
they  gained  much  plunder.  The  wagon  train  of  Kirby 
Smith  alone  was  stated  to  be  forty  miles  long,  laden  with  an 
immense  quantity  of  clothing,  boots,  shoes,  and  army  stores. 
Bragg  gathered  an  immense  quantity  of  groceries  and  domes 
tic  goods,  plundered  from  the  stores  of  Lexington,  Frank- 
ford,  Danville,  and  Uarrodsburg. 

The  slow  pursuit  of  Buell  allowed  the  enemy  to  retreat 
without  molestation ;  he  only  attacked  them  once  during 
five  months.  The  enemy  passed  through  the  fairest  por- 
tions of  the  State ;  inaugurated  a  Governor  at  Frankford  ; 
robbed,  defrauded,  and  terrified  wealthy  loyal  citizens,  and 
finally  escaped.  Buel  had  been  relieved  of  his  command  at 


EPITOME   OF  MINOR  EVENTS.  283 

Louisville,  and  in  twenty-four  hours  reinstated.  lie  had 
promised  great  things  in  the  pursuit  of  Bragg.  His  troops, 
not  permitted  to  assist  their  struggling  comrades  at 
Mumfordville  and  Perryville,  lost  confidence  in  him.  On 
the  30th  of  October,  he  was  again  relieved  from  command, 
and  General  Rosecrans,  the  hero  of  luka  and  Corinth,  ap- 
pointed in  his  place.  Some  minor  events  of  the  latter  part 
of  September  and  October,  1862,  are  here  epitomized. 
.  On  the  20th  of  September,  in  a  contest  at  Shepherdstown 
Ferry,  Virginia,  the  Corn  Exchange  regiment,  of  Philadel- 
phia, fought  with  bravery  and  lost  heavily.  On  the  22d, 
Bragg  advanced  on  Louisville,  and  next  day  demanded  its 
surrender.  On  the  28th,  a  skirmish  took  place  on  the 
Blackwater  river,  Virginia,  and  on  October  1st,  one  also 
took  place  near  Louisville,  Kentucky.  On  the  same  day, 
the  Federals  captured  Sabine  Pass,  Texas,  and  on  the  4th, 
Galveston  in  that  State  was  shelled,  and  the  rebels  driven 
out.  On  the  same  day,  also,  the  Union  troops  fought  the 
battle  of  Bardstown,  Kentucky,  and  afterward  occupied  the 
place.  On  the  6th,  Richard  Hewes  was  inaugurated  as 
Governor  of  Kentucky  by  the  rebels,  Bragg  and  Ilumphrey 
Marshall  making  treasonable  speeches  on  the  occasion.  On 
the  same  day,  they  destroyed  the  railroad  bridge  at  Frank- 
ford,  and  evacuated  the  place.  On  the  30th,  skirmishes  took 
place  at  Upperville,  and  Petersburg,  Virginia. 


CHAPTER    XXYHL 

OCTOBBR — NOVEMBER,    1862. 

m  PIRATE  ALABAMA — FAILURE  OF  THE  EFFORTS  FOR  HER  CAPTOR* - 
EXPEDITION  AGAINST  THK  CHARLESTON  AMD  SAVANNAH  RAILROAD— 
RECONNCIS8ANCES  BY  THE  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC — SEIZURE  OF  SNICKEIv'l 
ASHBY'S,  AND  THOROUGHFARE  GAPS  BY  THE  FEDERALS — ENGAGEHKNI 

AT  MAYSVILLE,  ARKANSAS CAPTAIN  DAHLGREN*8  RECONNOIgSANCE  TO 

FREDERICK8BURG,  VIRGINIA — ACTIONS  AT  PHILOMEL  AND  NEW  CREEK, 
VIRGINIA — CONTEST  AT  WILLIAMSTON,  NORTH  CAROLINA — REBEL  AT- 
TEMPTS TO  CAPTURE  NASHVILLE — UNION  EXPEDITION  TO  TIIIBODEAUX* 

VILLE,  LOUISIANA RKCONNOISSANCE  OF  GENERAL  MCPHKR8ON  TO  HOLLT 

SPRINGS — FREDERICKSBURG,  VIRGINIA,  SUMMONED  TO  SURRENDER. 

AMONG  the  Confederate  cruisers  which  inflicted  so  much 
damage  on  the  commerce  of  the  United  States  during  the 
war,  was  the  pirate  Alabama,  commanded  by  Captain 
Raphael  Semmes,  and  having,  as  one  of  her  officers,  Lieu- 
tenant Ilowell,  brother-in-law  of  Jefferson  Davis.  This 
vessel,  which  became  a  terror  to  the  nation's  commerce,  was 
rigged  out  as  a  barque.  Her  speed  under  canvas  was 
thirteen  knots  an  hour,  and  fifteen  under  steam.  She  was 
a  double  decker  of  one  thousand  two  hundred  tons  burden, 
one  hundred  and  twenty-five  feet  long,  thirty-two  in 
breadth,  and,  like  her  deeds,  her  color  was  of  the  blackest 
hue.  Her  armament  consisted  of  three  thirty-two  pound- 
ers on  each  side,  and  -ports  amidships  were  made  for  two 
more.  Forward  she  had  a  one  hundred  pound  rifled  pivot 
gun,  and  on  the  main  deck  a  sixty-eight  pounder.  Tracks 
were  laid,  fore  and  aft,  for  a  pivot  bow  gun  and  a  pivot 
stern  chaser.  Her  guns  were  of  British  manufacture,  and 
her  crew  of  one  hundred  and  thirty  men  was  taken  from  an 
English  vessel  near  the  West  Indies.  When  occasion 
required,  she  hoisted  the  Hags  of  all  nations,  but  on 
approaching  a  vessel,  usually  unfurled  the  banner  of  St 
George.  Provisions  for  eight  months  were  put  on  board, 
and  thus  fitted  out,  her  depredations,  during  the  year  1862, 
were  of  a  formidable  character,  and  her  captures  numerous ; 
among  the  latter,  several  whalers  from  New  Bedford,  etc. 
besides  the  barque  Ocean  Rover,  of  Mattapoisaet,  and  the 
(284) 


KPEDITION    UNDER    GENERAL  MITCHELL.  285 

large  ship  Tonawanda,  of  Philadelphia,  In  the  case  of  the 
latter  vessel,  Semmes  exacted  bonds  for  the  value  of  the 
ship  and  cargo,  redeemable  when  the  war  terminated. 
After  destroying  his  prizes,  which  was  his  usual  course, 
the  pirate  captain  received  their  crews  on  board  his  vessel, 
«nd  after  plundering  them,  set  them  on  shore  and  paroled 
them.  To  capture  and  destroy  this  scourge  of  the  seas, 
llie  Feaeral  Government  sent  Commander  Ronckendorf,  at 
that  time  in  command  of  the  San  Jacinto,  in  pursuit  of 
hsr,  and  though  he  came  up  with  her  once  in  the  port  of 
Fort  Royal  Martinique,  the  wily  Semmes  eluded  him,  and 
escaped  to  the  high  seas,  to  commit  more  depredations. 
Posterity  will  learn  with  astonishment  that  the  pirate 
captain  was  feted  by  British  subjects  in  Old  Albion,  and 
regarded  with  applause  by  European  nations.  The  British 
authorities,  it  will  be  seen,  favored  the  rapacious  Semmes. 
The  English  people,  especially  the  aristocracy,  bought  up 
the  Confederate  bonds,  and  the  ship-builders  provided  the 
rebels  with  war  vessels. 

On  the  21st  of  October,  the  expedition  planned  by  General 
Mitchell,  in  command  of  the  Southern  Department,  left  Hilton 
Head  for  the  purpose  of  destroying  the  railroad  bridges  be- 
tween Charleston  and  Savannah.  These  bridges  spanned  the 
streams  Pocotaligo,  Talliafinney,  and  Coosawhatchie,  which 
flow  into  the  Broad  river.  It  was  necessary  that  a  landing 
should  be  made  at  Mackay's  Point,  eleven  miles  from  Poco- 
taligo, where  protection  could  be  afforded  by  the  gunboats 
to  the  debarkation  of  the  troops,  who  would  from  that  point 
move  on  to  the  scene  of  contest. 

A  portion  of  the  first  and  second  brigades,  four  thousand 
five  hundred  strong,  composed  the  expedition,  which  was 
commanded  by  Generals  J.  M.  Brannon  and  A.  H.  Terry, 
the  former  being  the  ranking  officer.  Three  transports, 
nine  gunboats,  and  some  schooners,  carried  the  troops  to 
thoir  destination,  at  which  they  arrived  on  the  22d  of 
October,  at  six  o'clock  A.  M.  A  company  of  the  Seventh 
Connecticut,  in  command  of  Captain  Gray,  had  been  sent  in 
advance,  in  boats,  for  the  purpose  of  surprising  and  captur- 
ing the  pickets  of  the  enemy  at  Mackay's  Point.  Gray 
succeeded  in  taking  prisoners  Lieutenant  Banks  and  three 
men,  but  the  rest  escaped,  and  informed  the  enemy  of  the 
designed  attack.  All  the  troops  had  landed  by  ten  o'clock 


286  SUCCESS  OF  TUB  EXPEDITION. 

with  the  exception  of  the  Third  Rhode  Island.  Brannan 
lost  no  time  in  marching  against  the  enemy,  and  encoun- 
tered them  in  a  strong  position  near  Pocotaligo.  The 
Federals  had  to  advance  along  a  narrow  causeway,  exposed 
to  the  enemy's  artillery  fire,  which  swept  the  brave  ranks  of 
the  Forty-seventh  Pennsylvania,  which  was  in  the  advance. 
t  lieutenant  Henry's  artillery  effectively  responded,  while  the 
Pennsylvanians  opened  a  musketry  fire.  The  latter  lost, 
in  this  encounter,  one  hundred  and  fifty  killed  and 
wounded,  out  of  six  hundred  men.  The  rest  of  the  Fede- 
rals having  come  up,  the  rebels  were  driven  with  great  loss 
fiom  their  position,  and  after  a  chase  of  several  miles,  they 
made  another  stand,  and  being  again  routed,  rallied  on 
reaching  Pocotaligo  bridge,  where  they  were  protected  by 
twelve  pieces  of  artillery.  The  Federals  had  only  four 
Parrott  guns,  commanded  by  Lieutenant  Phcenix.  The 
enemy  was  driven  from  the  bridge  by  a  fierce  infantry 
charge,  after  which  the  troops  crossed  and  destroyed  it. 
Six  o'clock  had  now  arrived,  the  foe  was  beyond  reach, 
and  indications  of  reinforcements  to  the  enemy  by  railroad 
from  Charleston  and  Savannah,  made  retreat  necessary. 
This  was  conducted  in  good  order  by  General  Terry.  The 
dead  and  wounded,  six  hundred  in  number,  were  carried  off 
the  field.  The  portion  of  the  expedition  sent  up  the  Coos- 
whatchie  river,  disembarked,  encountered  a  body  of  the 
enemy,  killed  and  wounded  about  thirty  of  them,  and 
shelled  the  town,  named  after  the  river.  Colonel  Barton, 
the  commander  of  the  detachment,  then  led  his  men  back 
to  the  gunboats,  and  rejoining  the  expedition,  it  arrived  at 
Hilton  Head  on  the  24th  of  October,  having  accomplished 
the  purposes  for  which  it  was  sent.  On  the  30th,  the  com- 
mander of  the  Department  of  the  South,  General  O.  M. 
Mitchell,  fell  a  victim  to  yellow  fever,  at  Port  Royal,  South 
Carolina. 

November  had  now  arrived,  and  the  Army  of  the  Pot> 
mac,  still  commanded  by  General  McClellan,  was  the  focug 
in  which  public  interest  anxiously  concentrated.  Recon- 
noissanoes  and  skirmishes  had  occupied  the  weeks  which 
(lapsed  since  the  battle  of  Antietam,  and  the  troops  yet 
made  no  important  movement.  The  nature  of  the  country 
in  which  both  armies  lay,  made  the  possession  of  the  moun 
tain  defiles  a  matter  of  importanc  •*.  Lee's  army  occupied 


OCCUPATION   OF   GAPS   /N    TFK   BT.UK   RIDQB.          287 

the  beautiful  Shenandoah  valley,  having  his  head-quarters 
at  Berryville.  His  strength  had  been  augmented  by 
reinforcements  from  Western  Virginia.  Great  strategic 
importance  was  therefore  attached  to  the  mountain  range 
3ast  of  the  Shenandoah  river,  and  reconnoissances  were 
nnade  by  the  Federals  to  Snicker's,  Ashby's,  and  Thorough 
fare  Gaps,  which  outlets  mainly  commanded  the  mountain 
range.  It  was  most  important  that  they  should  be  occnt- 
pied.  Accordingly,  Generals  Hancock  and  Couch  were 
sent  for  that  purpose  to  Snicker's  Gap,  on  the  2d  of  Novem- 
ber, which  being  found  to  contain  a  body  of  the  enemy, 
General  Hancock  at  once  drew  up  his  men  in  order  ol 
battle.  General  Caldwell,  with  his  brigade,  held  the  right : 
Meagher,  with  his  Irish  brigade  and  Colonel  Zook's  regi- 
ment, was  posted  on  the  left ;  and  the  artillery  on  command- 
ing eminences.  The  scouts  sent  to  watch  the  enemy  from 
the  heights,  descried  their  dark  masses  approaching.  Their 
artillery  was  in  the  advance,  followed  by  the  cavalry  and 
the  infantry,  which  brought  up  the  rear.  When  within 
range  the  Union  guns  opened  an  effective  fire,  which  dis- 
persed them,  and  the  old  flag  was  hoisted  on  Snicker's  Gap 

During  this  successful  operation,  a  similar  success  gavd 
the  Federals  possession  of  Ashby's  Gap.  Generals  Pleason 
ton  and  Averill,  near  Purcellville  and  Upperville,  in  the 
Shenandoah  valley,  encountered  the  famed  rebel  cavalry 
under  their  chief,  Stuart,  consisting  of  four  thousand  men, 
protected  by  two  batteries  of  artilley.  Several  skirmishes 
took  place,  and  Pleasonton  at  length  drove  the  enemy 
in  a  resolute  charge,  toward  the  gap,  and  following  up  the 
advantage,  the  position  was  gained. 

On  the  3d,  General  Sigel,  with  a  part  of  his  corps,  occu- 
pied Thoroughfare  Gap,  and  on  the  same  day,  a  reconnois- 
sance  from  Fairfax,  beyond  Bull  Run,  by  a  portion  of 
General  Sickles'  command,  disclosed  the  Confederates  there 
in  force,  and  part  of  them  at  Warrenton.  While  these  oper- 
ations were  in  progress,  and  seemed  to  promise  an  advance 
of  the  army,  and  another  severe  engagement,  General  Model 
Ian  was  superseded,  on  the  5th  of  November,  in  the  com- 
mand of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  by  General  Burnside,  and 
ordered  to  report  at  Trenton,  New  Jersey.  His  removal  at 
this  period  was  expedient  and  necessary,  and  was  succeeded 
eventually  by  his  resignation  and  retirement  into  the  peace' 
ful  ihadea  of  domestic  lil% 


288  ENGAGEMENT   AT   MATSYILL1.   ARKANSAS. 

Burnside  now  assumed  command  of  the  army,  and  in  a 
brief  and  prudent  address  to  the  troops,  he  expressed  his 
sentiments  of  respectful  esteem  for  their  late  commander,  hia 
diffidence  of  his  own  abilities,  and  the  confidence  in  their 
valor  which  inspired  him.  He  believed  that  their  military 
operations  in  the  impending  struggle,  would  be  crowned 
with  success  and  victory.  Leaving  the  mighty  armies  con- 
fronting each  other,  and  preparing  for  the  forthcoming  battle, 
we  tu  :n  our  attention  to  the  scenes  in  Arkansas. 

On  the  22d  of  October,  General  Blunt,  in  command  of  part 
of  the  troops  on  that  remote  frontier,  encountered  a  body  of 
the  enemy  at  "  Old  Fort  Wayne,"  and  utterly  defeated  it. 
The  rebel  forces  were  in  two  columns  ;  one,  under  Generals 
Marmaduke  and  Raines,  proceeded  toward  Huntsville;  the 
other,  under  Cooper  and  Standwaite,  into  the  Indian  territory, 
by  way  of  Bentonville.  The  Federal  forces  were  similarly 
divided  to  meet  the  Confederates.  Generals  Schofield  and 
Totten  pursued  Marmaduke  and  Raines,  and  Blunt  followed 
in  pursuit  of  Cooper  and  Standwaite.  To  preserve  the  com- 
munication with  the  rear  of  the  Union  forces,  General  Solo- 
mon was  left  at  Pea  Ridge,  with  his  command,  and  the 
batteries  of  Blair  and  Stockton.  Moving  rapidly  in  pursuit 
of  the  Confederates,  General  Blunt  encountered  them  near 
Maysville.  His  forces  then  did  not  exceed  six  hundred 
strong,  consisting  only  of  his  body-guard  and  part  of  the 
Second  Kansas  regiment,  together  with  two  small  howitzers. 
The  enemy,  three  thousand  strong,  were  already  in  position 
with  four  large  brass  pieces  advantageously  posted.  General 
Blunt  ordered  his  men  to  meet  the  rebels  on  foot,  and  the 
artillery  began  the  conflict.  In  a  daring  charge,  the  Kansas 
troops  routed  the  enemy,  and  captured  their  field  pieces. 
Just  as  the  foe  had  gained  the  covert  of  the  woods.  Colone! 
Judson  galloped  up  with  the  Sixth  Kansas,  followed  by  six 
pieces  of  Rabb's  battery,  which  shelled  the  woods.  The 
Eleventh  Kansas,  and  finally  the  First  and  Third  Indiana 
arrived,  and  all  the  troops  being  arrayed  in  the  order  of 
battle,  were  ordered  to  advance.  The  Confederates,  without 
awaiting  the  shock  of  battle,  again  betook  themselves  to  the 
shelter  of  the  forest,  and  with  such  celerity  as  to  far  outstrip 
the  pursuing  Federals.  The  Union  loss  was  only  seven 
killed  and  fifteen  wounded.  The  importance  of  this  succeaa 
was  such  as  to  free  western  Missouri  and  northwestern 
Arkansas  from  the  Confederate*. 


ACTION   AT   PHILOMEL  AND   NEW   CR^KK.  289 

On  the  8th  of  November,  Captain  Ulric  Dahlgren,  of 
General  Sigel's  staff,  with  sixty  men  of  thi  First  Indiana 
cavalry,  made  a  reconnoissance  into  Fred  sricksburg,  Vir- 
ginia, which  was  occupied  by  a  rebel  force,  consisting  of 
eight  companies  of  Virginians.  On  his  progress,  Captain 
Dahlgren  was  joined  by  Major  Steadman  and  a  portion  of 
the  Sixth  Ohio  cavalry.  Crossing  the  Rappahannock,  thij 
brave  patriot  band,  after  a  march  of  forty  miles,  boldly  entered 
the  city  at  half  past  seven  o'clock  on  the  9th,  encountered  the 
enemy  in  a  terrible  hand  to  hand  combat,  and  defeated  them. 
The  heroic  Dahlgren,  with  the  loss  of  one  killed  and  three 
missing,  returned  to  camp,  having  captured  thirty- nine  pris- 
oners, many  horses  and  accoutrements,  a  banner,  and  several 
wagons  filled  with  army  cloth.  On  the  same  day,  the  enemy's 
pickets  were  driven,  by  General  Stahl,  from  the  vicinity  of 
Snicker's  and  Ashby's  Gaps.  Information  was  thus  gained 
respecting  the  rebel  position  and  movements.  It  was  also 
on  this  day,  that  Colonel  Hoffman,  with  the  second  brigade 
of  Doubleday's  and  a  body  of  Pleasonton's  cavalry,  charged 
three  thousand  of  the  enemy's  cavalry,  under  General  Stuart, 
at  Philomel,  and  drove  them  from  their  position,  compelling 
them  to  retire  beyond  Upperville. 

The  9th  was  the  date  of  another  successful  movement  by 
General  Kelly,  who,  leaving  his  camp  at  New  creek  with 
eight  hundred  men,  moved  to  attack  General  Imboden  near 
Moorefield.  The  rebel  camp  was  found  to  be  abandoned, 
and  a  rapid  pursuit  for  fifteen  miles,  brought  the  Union 
general  upon  the  foe.  In  the  skirmish  which  followed,  the 
enemy  were  routed,  dispersed,  and  driven  in  flight  to  the 
mountain  fastnesses.  The  Federals,  with  the  loss  of  one 
man  killed  and  two  wounded,  returned  to  camp,  bringing 
with  them  two  captains,  two  lieutenants,  and  thirty-four  of 
the  rebel  rank  and  file  as  prisoners  of  war. 

On  the  10th  of  November,  General  Foster  organized  an 
expedition  to  proceed  up  Tar  river,  in  North  Carolina.  Ita 
object  was  the  capture  of  a  body  of  rebels  who  had  been 
sent  to  attack  Plymouth.  On  the  route,  a  skirmish  with  the 
enemy  wa-}  participated  in  at  Williamston,  by  the  Maine  ar- 
tillery, Belger's  battery,  part  of  the  Third  New  York  battery, 
and  the  Forty-fourth  Massachusetts  regiment.  The  Federals 
occupied  Rainbow  Bluffs,  a  mile  of  intrencLments  which 
the  army  had  deserted  as  the  former  approached  Hamilton, 
25 


REBEL   ATTEMPTS   TO   CAPTURE   NASHVILLE. 

Reinforcements  being  sent  to  the  enemy,  rendered  an  attack 
against  their  superior  numbers  imprudent,  and  the  com- 
manding general  led  his  troops  back  to  Newbern,  with  & 
loss  of  six  killed  and  ten  wounded. 

Meanwhile,  a  bold  attempt  was  made  by  the  rebel  Gener 
als  Morgan  and  Forrest  to  gain  possession  of  Nashville,  the 
capital  of  Tennessee,  at  that  time  commanded  by  General 
Negley.  The  initiative  wis  made  by  Morgan's  cavalry 
who,  dashing  into  the  town  v  f  Edgefield,  took  prisoners  the 
Onion  pickets,  destroyed  the  railroad  despot  and  several  cars, 
together  with  the  trellis  work  of  the  bridge  on  the  Nashville 
and  Louisville  railroad.  Lieutenant  Beach,  with  part  of 
Abbott's  First  Tennessee  battery,  arrested  the  rebels  in  this 
work  of  destruction,  and  in  a  spirited  attack  drove  them  from 
the  place.  Forrest  was  now  bringing  up  a  more  formidable 
body  in  two  columns,  by  the  Murfreesboro  and  Franklin 
roads,  and  Negley  moving  out  of  his  fortifications,  advanced 
upon  him  on  the  Franklin  turnpike.  The  troops  led  against 
the  foe,  consisted  of  Stokes'  First  Tennessee,  and  part  of  the 
Seventh  Pennsylvania  cavalry,  with  four  pieces  of  artillery 
and  the  Sixty-ninth  Ohio,  Seventy-eighth  Pennsylvania,  and 
Fourteenth  Michigan  regiments.  At  Brown's  creek,  the 
rebel  cavalry,  with  three  field  pieces,  were  encountered  by 
Negley,  who  placed  his  guns  in  position  and  ordered  them 
to  open  fire.  Simultaneously,  the  Union  cavalry  made  a 
bold  charge,  and,  after  a  spirited  contest,  the  Confederates 
broke  and  fled,  and  were  pursued  to  Brentwood,  seventeen 
miles  from  Nashville. 

During  this  action,  Colonel  Roberts,  with  a  brigade  of 
Palmer's  division,  advanced  upon  the  enemy,  who  were 
moving  up  the  Murfreesboro  road.  On  the  appearance  of 
the  Federals,  the  rebels  with  terriffic  yells  rushed  to  the 
charge,  and  their  batteries,  posted  on  adjacent  hills,  began  to 
anell  the  patriot  ranks,  but  their  ardor  was  soon  effectually 
cooled  by  the  vigorous  fire  of  the  Kentucky  batteries  of 
Beebe  and  Hewett.  The  enemy's  cavalry  attack  waa 
gallantly  repelled,  and  driven  at  length  in  total  rout  from 
the  field,  they  were  pursued  to  Mill  creek,  with  a  loss  of 
four  killed  and  seventeen  wounded.  The  Union  loss  was 
one  killed,  five  wounded,  and  twelve  missing;  that  of  the 
enemy  in  both  actions,  being  ten  killed,  thirty  wounded,  and 
forty  captured,  besides  some  hundreds  of  excellent  horse*. 


EXPEDITION   TO    THIBODKAUXVILL1.  293 

Thus  were  the  discomfited  rebels  vigorously  repelled,  in  their 
attack  on  the  beautiful  capital  of  Tennessee,  and  the  terrified 
inhabitants,  relieved  from  the  most  fearful  apprehensions 
were  jubilant  in  their  deliverance  from  the  rebel  invaders, 
Future  attempts  on  this  much  coveted  position  will  be  ac- 
curately, described  in  due  time,  and  tend  to  shed  a  lustre  on 
the  valor  of  the  Union  troops,  many  of  whom  moistened 
with  their  life's  blood  the  fields  in  the  vicinity  of  this  fair 
city. 

On  the  24th  of  October,  an  expedition,  under  the  com- 
mand of  General  "Weit^el,  left  Carrollton  to  occupy  Thibo- 
deauxville,  Louisiana.  The  troops  were  composed  of  the 
reserve  brigade,  being  part  of  General  Butler's  forces  in 
the  Department  of  the  Gulf.  The  Eighth  New  Hampshire, 
Twelfth  and  Thirteenth  Connecticut,  Seventy-fifth  New 
York,  and  First  Louisiana  regiments,  under  the  escort  of 
four  gunboats,  moved  up  the  Mississippi  in  transports, 
toward  Donaldsonville,  and  landed  several  miles  below  that 
point.  Passing  through  the  deserted  town,  they  moved 
down  the  Bayou  Lafourche,  and  were  joined  by  crowds  of 
negroes,  who  mostly  gave  out  on  the  way  through  exhaus- 
tion arising  from  fatigue  and  want  of  food. 

At  Labadieville,  the  enemy  was  encountered,  and  a 
brisk  action  resulted,  which  began  with  artillery.  The 
right  was  held  by  the  Eighth  New  Hampshire.  The  guna 
of  the  enemy  vainly  opposed  the  crossing  of  the  bayou  by 
the  Twelfth  and  Thirteenth  Connecticut,  whose  order  of 
battle  was  successfully  formed,  protected  with  artillery. 
The  Eighth  New  Hampshire,  in  a  spirited  charge,  drove  the 
rebels  over  ditches  and  fences  and  through  underbrush. 
Taking  flight,  their  escape  was  prevented  by  the  Twelfth 
Connecticut,  who  outflanked  them  on  their  left.  Their 
flight  was  stayed  by  this  movement,  which  resulted  in  the 
capture  of  many  of  them.  In  this  action  the  Confederate 
-jommander,  Colonel  McPheeters,  was  killed ;  he  was  burie% 
afterward  in  a  field  by  the  way-side,  in  which  spot,  also 
the  brave  patriots,  Captains  Ralston,  Kellahar.  and  Warren, 
of  the  Eighth  New  Hampshire,  found  a  grave,  having 
nobly  sacrificed  their  lives  for  the  Union.  In  vain  tna 
enemy  rushed  on  in  desperate  charges ;  in  vain  their  well 
served  artillery  raked  the  Union  ranks.  After  several 
hours  of  contest  the  Union  force  prevailed,  and  the  cavalry 


292  RKCONNOISSANCK   TO   HOLLY   SPRINGS. 

charging  the  foe,  drove  him  from  the  field.  The  Federal* 
occupied  Thibodeauxville,  and  awaited  a  renewal  of  tb« 
conflict.  The  foe  had  retreated,  however,  toward  Berwick 
Bay,  destroying  two  railroad  bridges  over  Bayous  Lafourche 
and  Terrebonne.  The  capt  ves  in  this  engagement  were 
two  hundred  and  eight,  including  several  officers.  Thus 
the  authority  of  the  Federal  Government,  by  the  victorious 
arms  of  its  brave  defenders  was  again  supreme  in  a  large 
portion  of  the  State  of  Louisiana. 

On  the  8th  of  November,  General  McPherson  started 
from  Lagrange,  Tennessee,  to  make  a  reconnoissance  in 
force  toward  Holly  Springs,  Mississippi,  for  the  purpose  of 
discovering  the  position  and  forces  of  the  enemy  at  that 
place.  He  took  with  him  the  first,  second,  and  third 
brigades  of  his  own  division  of  Grant's  army,  and  a  body 
of  cavalry.  At  old  Lamar,  the  enemy,  who  had  possession 
of  the  road  to  Holly  Springs,  disputed  his  further  progress, 
and  he  drew  up  his  men  in  line  of  battle.  During  an 
artillery  duel  in  front,  Colonel  Lee  was  ordered  to  make  a 
detour  with  the  cavalry  in  the  enemy's  rear,  and  charge 
them,  which  command  was  well  executed.  Assailed  at 
once  in  front  and  rear,  they  fled  in  great  trepidation,  and, 
at  that  critical  moment,  McPherson,  deploying  some  compa 
nies  to  charge  them  in  flank,  rendered  the  rout  complete 
The  rebels  were  pursued  toward  Cold  water  creek,  having 
sustained  a  loss  of  twelve  killed,  fifteen  wounded,  and  one 
hundred  and  sixty-five  captured,  including  ten  officers, 
while  the  Union  loss  was  only  two  slightly  wounded.  The 
troops  now  returned  to  Lagrange. 

On  the  llth,  General  Ransom  overtook  the  Confederate 
General  Woodward,  near  Garrettsburg,  Kentucky,  and 
completely  routed  him,  and  drove  his  whole  force  from  the 
State,  the  Union  loss  being  only  sixteen  killed,  forty 
wounded,  twenty-five  captured,  and  a  large  quantity  of 
stores ;  that  of  the  enemy  is  unknown.  On  the  same  day, 
one  thousand  and  sixteen  Federal  officers,  one  thousand  five 
hundred  and  ninety-six  of  those  of  the  Confederates,  and 
twenty-one  thousand  privates  were  exchanged. 

General  Hooker,  on  the  12th,  was  appointed  to  supersede 
General  Fitz  John  Porter  in  the  command  of  the  Fifth 
Army  Corps.  On  the  14th,  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  was 
divided  into  three  gran  I  divisions,  under  Generals  Sumner 


FREDERICKSBURQ    SUMMONED   TO   SURRENDER.        293 

Franklin,  and  Hooker,  the  Eleventh  Corps  acting  as  a 
reserve.  General  Burnside's  head-quarters  were  now  at 
Warrenton.  On  the  15th,  his  army  began  its  march  toward 
Fredericksburg-,  and  moved  on  the  day  following  to  Cat- 
lett's  Station.  It  was  on  this  day  that  President  Lincoln, 
in  an  official  order,  enjoined  a  stricl  observance  of  the  Sab- 
bath in  the  army  and  navy.  On  the  17th,  Burnside'i 
idvance  occupied  Falmouth,  opposite  Fredericksburg,  oa 
the  Rappahannock. 

On  the  21st,  General  Sumner,  who  was  in  command  of 
fchc  right  wing,  by  order  of  General  Burnside,  sent  his 
Provost-marshal,  General  Patrick,  with  a  requisition  upon 
the  civil  authorities  to  surrender  immediately  to  the  Union 
forces  the  city  of  Fredericksburg.  With  a  flag  of  truce 
he  crossed  the  river,  and  bore  the  written  summons,  in 
which  General  Sumner  expressed  the  fact  of  the  city  having 
been  made  a  cover  to  the  enemy  in  their  assaults  on  the 
Union  troops.  Its  inhabitants  had  fired  upon  the  Federals 
from  the  house-tops;  its  mills  and  manufactories  had 
supplied  the  enemy  with  provisions  and  clothing;  while 
its  railroads  had  furnished  transportation  to  the  Confederate 
forces.  For  these  reasons,  unless  the  city  was  surrendered  in 
sixteen  hours,  during  which  time  the  women  and  children, 
together  with  the  sick  and  wounded,  would  be  permitted  to 
leave,  it  would  then  be  bombarded. 

The  reply,  which  seemed  to  emanate  from  the  civil 
authorities,  but  was  really  dictated  by  General  Longstreet, 
soon  arrived,  and  promised  redress  of  the  injuries  com- 
plained of  by  both  ceasing  to  fire  on  the  Federals  and  to 
supply  the  Confederate  army ;  but  as  it  respected  the  surren- 
der of  the  city  to  the  Federal  authorities,  any  attempt  to 
occupy  it  would  meet  with  a  determined  resistance. 

Burnside  would  have  made  a  hostile  demonstration 
against  the  place  at  the  time,  but  the  pontoons,  which  had 
been  ordered  to  be  prepared,  had  been  neglected,  and  ha 
was  not  ready  to  effect  the  crossing  before  the  llth  of 
December.  This  delay  gave  the  enemy  time  to  concentrate 
their  forces,  and  erect  fortifications  of  a  formidable  charac- 
ter. Generals  Robert  E.  Lee,  Jackson,  Longstreet,  Hill, 
and  others,  rendered  eminent  by  their  perverted,  but  able 
efforts  to  ruin  the  country  now  were  on  the  alert,  and  lost 
no  time  in  prepar  ng  for  the  mighty  contest  soon  to  b? 
fought. 


CHA1TER  XXIX. 

DECEMBER,  1862. 

r»IXTY-EIOHTH     CONGRESS     ASSEMBLES PRESIDENT'S  ANNUAL     MKSSAUE— 

XKPORT  OF  THE  SECRETARY  OP  TUB  TREASURY — SKIRMISH  AT  FRANKL1M, 
TIROINIA — UNION  TROOPS  CAPTURED  AT  HARTSVILLE,  KENTUCKY — RECON> 
KCI88ANCES  OF  GENERAL  GEARY  TO  CHARLESTOWN  AND  WINCHESTER — 
SURRENDER  OF  WINCHESTER — GENERAL  8TUART*8  RAID  ON  DUMFRIES 
AND  OCCOQUAN — GENERAL  WASHBURNE's  EXPEDITION  TO  COFFEEVILoB 
— THE  STEAMSHIP  ARIEL  CAPTURED — THE  BANKS  EXPEDITION — FRAUDS 

ON     THE    FEDERAL     GOVERNMENT GENERAL    BUTLER     RELIEVED     FROM 

COMMAND  AT  NEW  ORLEANS — EFFECTS  OF  THE  BLOCKADE  OF  SOUTHERN 
PORTS. 

ON  the  1st  of  December,  1862,  the  Thirty-eighth  Congress 
commenced  its  session  at  Washington,  where  a  full  atten- 
dance met  at  this  important  epoch  of  national  affairs.  The 
anxious  eyes  of  the  nation  turned  toward  the  proceedings 
of  Congress,  and,  with  more  than  usual  intensity  of  feeling, 
*he  loyal  people  waited  for  the  message  of  the  Chief  Magis- 
nate.  It  was  presented  immediately  on  the  organization  of 
both  Houses  of  Congress,  and  claimed  general  attention, 
being  expressed  in  the  spirit  of  sound  patriotism  and  beautiful 
simplicity,  which  always  characterized  the  administration 
of  Mr.  Lincoln.  The  important  themes  of  the  finances,  and 
the  emancipation  of  slaves,  met  with  special  attention.  The 
President  admitted,  that  the  immense  expenditures  of  mili- 
tary and  naval  operations,  had  been  met  in  a  manner  credit- 
able to  the  nation.  He  showed  that,  in  carrying  on  the 
war,  a  vast  expense  would  necessarily  be  "involved,  which 
would  demand  careful  legislative  attention.  The  issue  of  Uni- 
ted States  notes  had  been  rendered  necessary  by  the  suspen- 
sion of  specie  payments  by  the  banks,  in  the  inception  of  the 
rebellion.  The  use  of  these  notes,  in  payment  of  troops,  for 
loans,  internal  duties,  and.  as  a  legal  tender  for  debts,  had 
saved  large  sums  in  disoo  ants  and  exchanges.  A  return  to 
specie  payments  should  3e  kept  in  view,  and  it  was  doubt- 
ful whether  a  sufficient  y  large  amount  of  United  States 
notes  would  eventually  serve  as  a  general  equivalent  for 
(294)  , 


PRESIDENT'S  ANNUAL  MESSAGE.  295 

coin  to  be  payable  in  the  same.  To  obviate  this  difficulty, 
the  President  suggested  the  organization  of  banking  associ- 
ations, under  a  general  act  of  Congress,  to  which  the  Gov- 
ernment might  furnish  circulating  notes,  whose  security 
would  be  the  United  States  bonds  deposited  in  the  Treasury. 
As  these  notes  could  be  converted  into  coin,  the  people 
would  be  free  from  the  evils  of  a  vitiated  currency,  cheap 
exchanges  would  aid  commerce,  and  the  portion  of  the  public 
debt  which  was  employed  as  securities  would  experience 
mitigation.  A  small  balance  remained  in  the  Treasury.  The 
virtual  receipts  of  the  past  year  amounted  to  $487,788,324 
TV(i,  the  expenditures  to  $474,744,788^. 

The  proclamation  respecting  "  compensated  emancipation  " 
was  then  referred  to.  The  difficulties  involving  the  destiny 
of  the  slave,  could  receive  no  amelioration  by  disunion, 
which  was  alike  forbidden  by  the  geographical  features  of 
the  country,  and  any  imaginary  line  which  human  ingenuity 
could  conceive.  As  slavery  was  the  chief  cause  of  the  re- 
bellion, so  its  extinction  would  be  its  death-blow.  Hence  a 
method  of  emancipation,  gradual  and  equitable,  would  prove 
an  effective  cure  for  this  great  evil.  His  method  was  the 
following :  The  Amendment  of  the  Constitution  in  such  a 
manner,  that  evory  State  in  which  slavery  at  that  time  ex- 
isted, which  should  abolish  the  same  at  any  time  before  the 
1st  of  January,  1900,  should  receive  compensation  from  the 
Federal  Government.  The  interest  bearing  bonds  of  the 
United  States  would  be  delivered  by  the  President  to  every 
such  State,  in  compensation  for  every  slave  whom  the  eighth 
census  of  the  United  States  should  prove  to  be  living  in  that 
State  at  that  time ;  provided,  that  if  the  abolition  of  slavery  in 
;x  State  should  be  gradual,  the  bonds  would  be  delivered  by 
installments,  or  on  complete  abolition,  in  parcels.  The 
bonds  should  be  returned  to  the  United  States,  and  be  val- 
ueless, in  case  any  State  having  received  them  on  the  abo- 
lition of  slavery  within  its  limits,  should  again  introduce  it 
therein.  The  President  recommended  that  all  slaves,  whom 
the  chances  and  changes  of  war  had  enfranchised,  should 
remain  free,  and  that  their  masters,  if  loyal,  should  be 
reasonably  recompensed.  The  measure  was  to  be  made 
constitutional  by  amending  the  Federal  Constitution.  This 
would  require  the  vote  of  two  thirds  of  the  members  of  Con- 
gress, and  eventually  of  three  fourths  of  all  the  States,  which 


296   REPORT  OF  THE  SECRETARY  OF  THE  TREASURY. 

would  involve  the  consent  of  seven  of  the  slave  State* 
Their  co-operation  now  would  end  the  rebellion,  and  restore 
the  Union.  The  President  concludes  in  language  dear  to 
every  loyal  heart.  "  The  dogmas  of  the  quiet  past  are  in- 
adequate to  the  stormy  present.  The  occasion  is  piled  high 
wich  difficulties,  and  we  must  rise  with  the  occasion.  As 
our  case  is  new,  we  must  think  and  act  anew.  We  must 
disenthrall  ourselves,  and  then  we  shall  save  our  country. 
\V  e  cannot  escape  history.  We,  of  this  Congress,  and  this 
administration,  will  be  remembered  in  spite  of  ourselves. 
No  personal  significance,  or  insignificance,  can  spare  one  or 
another  of  us.  The  fiery  trial  through  which  we  pass  will 
lip  fat  us  down,  in  honor  or  dishonor,  to  the  latest  generation. 
Tiie  way  is  plain,  peaceful,  generous,  just — a  way  which,  if 
foj  towed,  the  world  will  forever  applaud,  and  God  must  for 
ever  bless." 

Both  Houses  of  Congress  received  this  message  with  the  re- 
spect to  which  it  was  entitled.  The  nation  read  it  with  ap- 
plnuse ;  and  all  classes,  whether  concurring  or  otherwise 
with  Mr.  Lincoln  on  the  slave  question,  were  pleased  with 
the  sincere  honesty  and  pure  patriotism  of  this  remarkable 
Piesidential  message. 

fu  the  report  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  Salmon  P 
Cnase,  distinguished  for  his  able  management  of  the  national 
finances,  he,  among  other  matters,  explained  the  manner  in 
wnich  the  vast  future  expenditures  might  be  satisfied. 
Should  the  rebellion  last  till  July,  1864,  provisions  must  be 
made  to  meet  a  deficiency  of  six  hundred  and  twenty-three 
millions,  over  all  which  should  have  been  accumulated  by  the 
existing  revenues.  The  important  measures  recommended 
foj  adoption,  were  twofold.  First,  a  general  law  authorizing 
banking  associations,  and  secondly,  the  obtaining  of  money 
by  loans,  without  augmentation  of  the  issue  of  United  States 
notes  beyond  the  limit  fixed  by  law,  except  some  unavoida 
We  necessity  should  require  the  adoption  of  such  a  course. 

While  the  President  and  Congress  were  thus  engaged  in 
flevmng  measures  for  the  benefit  of  the  nation,  the  soldiers 
in  the  field  were  struggling  to  put  down  rebellion,  and 
save  the  Union. 

On  the  2d  of  December,  Colonel  Spear,  being  sent  out  with 
a  detachment  from  Norfolk,  had  a  conflict  with  the  enemy 
near  Franklin,  on  th-e  Blackwater  river,  Virginia.  With 


CAPTURE   OT   UNION   TROOPS   AT   HARTSVILLE.        29 1 

four  infantry  regiments,  one  battery,  and  the  Eleventh 
Pennsylvania  cavalry,  he  was  instructed  to  proceed  to 
Beaver  Dam  Church,  a  few  miles  from  the  Black  water. 
From  this  place,  videttes  were  to  reconnoitre  the  country,  and 
ascertain  the  position  and  forces  of  the  ene.ny.  The  videttea 
encountered  the  Second  Georgia  regiment,  under  Lieutenant 
solonel  Towne,  and  firing  began  on  both  sides.  Majoi 
StrattoK  with  three  cavalry  companies,  now  came  up  to  rein 
force  the  videttes.«  In  a  brief,  but  desperate  action,  the  rebeu 
were  routed,  and  sought  refuge  in  their  strong  fortifications 
near  Franklin.  None  of  the  Federals  were  injured,  and  they 
returned  to  Norfolk  with  twenty-two  prisoners,  two  cannon, 
and  some  muskets  and  horses. 

On  the  7th  of  December,  John  Morgan,  the  guerilla,  sud 
denly  appeared  before  Hartsville,  Kentucky,  which  was  gar 
risoned  by  the  thirty-ninth  brigade  of  Dumont's  division, 
and  assaulted  the  Union  force,  composed  of  the  One  Hundred 
and  Fourth  Illinois,  One  Hundred  and  Sixth  and  One 
Hundred  and  Eighth  Ohio  regiments,  part  of  the  Second 
Indiana  cavalry,  and  Nicklen's  battery,  the  whole  com- 
manded by  Lieutenant-colonel  Moore.  The  rebel  forces 
were  three  cavalry  and  two  infantry  regiments,  who  charged 
the  Union  troops  at  daylight.  Some  resisted  the  enemy 
bravely,  but  the  rest  were  thrown  into  confusion.  The 
combat  lasted  an  hour,  when  the  Unionists  were  completely 
surrounded,  and  nearly  all  were  compelled  to  lay  down 
their  arms,  with  a  loss  of  sixty  killed  and  wounded,  and  the 
teams  and  trains  of  the  brigade.  Morgan  was  hotly  pur- 
sued by  Colonels  Harlan  and  Mellon,  but  escaped  beyond 
the  Cumberland  river. 

General  Geary,  in  command  of  a  division  of  the  Twelfth 
Army  Corps  (Slocum's),  had  been  left  in  garrison  duty  ai 
Harper's  Ferry  since  the  battle  of  Antietam,  having  charge 
of  the  fortifications  in  the  neighborhood.  With  three 
thousand  infantry,  a  squadron  of  cavalry,  and  twelve  field 
pieces,  he  made  a  reconnoissance,  on  the  2d  of  December,  in 
me  direction  of  Winchester.  Encountering  at  Charlestown 
a  small  body  of  the  enemy's  cavalry,  he  soon  dispersed  it, 
and  it  fled  to  Winchester.  Advancing  within  two  miles  of 
Berry  ville,  Geary  had  a  spirited  action  with  a  still  larger 
body  of  cavalry,  and  m  a  fight  of  short  duration,  four  of  the 
enemy  were  killed  and  twenty  wounded.  He  now  learned 


298       OTUARfS  RAID    ON    DUMFRIES    AND    OCCOQUAX. 

that  the  rebel  General  A.  P.  Hill  was  at  Winchester,  with 
fifteen  thousand  men.  Moving  a  few  miles  on  the  3d,  he 
continued  during  the  day  to  skirmish  with  the  enemy,  a~>d 
encamped  on  the  Opequan  creek  at  night.  Advancing  on 
Winchester  next  day,  he  encountered  a  line  of  rebel  cavalry, 
and  found  that  they  were  the  only  troops  in  the  place. 
Demanding  an  unconditional  surrender  of  the  town,  the  Con- 
federate commander  proposed  to  evacuate,  provided  an  hour 
was  granted  to  non-combatants  to  leave.  TGhis  being  refused, 
but  a  promise  of  non-interference,  provided  the  citizens  re- 
frained from  firing  on  the  troops,  being  proffered,  the  rebel 
commander  quickly  departed  with  his  troops,  and  the  city, 
on  the  reception  of  a  flag  of  truce,  was  surrendered.  The 
small-pox  prevailing  in  the  place,  it  was  not  entered  by  the 
Union  troops.  Possession,  however,  was  taken  of  the  forts 
and  town,  and  after  paroling  one  hundred  and  twenty-five 
of  the  enemy,  the  sick  and  wounded  tenants  of  the  hospital, 
and  driving  off  their  cavalry,  General  Geary  returned  to 
Harper's  Ferry.  On  the  llth  he  occupied  Leesburg,  and  the 
road  between  Aquia  creek  and  Alexandria,  keeping  guard 
over  the  more  important  points,  from  Fairfax  Court  House 
to  the  village  of  Dumfries. 

The  Confederate  General  J.  E.  B.  Stuart,  with  three  thou- 
sand five  hundred  cavalry,  and  a  battery,  crossed  the  Rap- 
pahannock  on  the  27th,  on  a  raiding  expedition,  and  assaulted 
three  infantry  regiments  and  one  of  cavalry,  together  with  a 
section  of  artillery,  at  the  latter  place.  These  troops  belonged 
to  the  division  of  General  Geary,  and  were  in  command  of 
Colonel  Candy.  After  the  surprise  and  capture  of  the 
pickets,  fifty  in  number,  Stuart  shelled  the  town,  and 
charged  the  Union  forces,  but  in  a  combat  continuing  from 
two  till  eight  o'clock  P.  M.,  his  attempts  to  flank  the  latter 
signally  failed,  and  after  sustaining  severe  punishment,  he 
withdrew  some  miles  from  the  village,  to  the  Neoboscc 
liver.  The  same  evening,  Geary  brought  up  the  rest  of  his 
troops  to  Wolf  Run  Shoals,  and  on  the  morning  of  the  28th, 
crossed  the  Occoquan.  General  Williams'  division  of  the 
Twelfth  Army  Corps,  followed  at  the  distance  of  a  few  milca. 
Early  on  the  28th,  the  enemy  moved  along  the  road  from 
Brentville  to  Occoquan,  and  on  their  way  encountered  the 
Third  Pennsylvania  cavalry,  which  was  taken  by  surprise, 
losing  one  hundred  prisoners,  and  twenty  killed  and 
wounded.  The  troops  of  the  Sei  enteenth  Pennsylvania  C»T 


GENERAL  WASHBURNfi's  EXPEDITION    TO  COFFEEVILLE.    299 

airy  were  thrown  into  disorder,  and  some  of  them  wounded 
on  the  same  occasion.  They  lost  none  of  their  number, 
but  being  fresh  troops  were  in  some  trepidation,  as  the  road 
was  narrow,  and  they  could  not  d  Being  the  surgeon 

of  the  regiment  at  the  time,  and  witness  of  the  affair, 

the  author  can  testify  that  the  m  bited  a  commendaWe 

gallantry.  Geary  having  arrived,  took  position  near  tl;e 
Brentville  road.  Throwing  out  a  company  of  cavalry  to 
invite  the  rebel  fire,  fi^e  hundred  men  of  Wade  Kair-pkm's 
Legion  rushed  with  ydls  to  the  charge.  The  Union  cavalry 
retreated  within  the  opening  infantry  lines,  which  then 
closed,  and  the  advancing  Con  federate  columns  were  greeted 
with  a  withering  volley  of  musketry,  and  shelled  by  the  ar- 
tillery. Their  bold  line,  which  a  moment  before  was  so 
audacious,  now  faltered,  and  broken,  they  took  to  flight  in 
wild  confusion,  with  the  loss  of  twenty  killed  and  wcunded. 
Being  reinforced,  they  formed  in  an  adjoining  wood,  but 
v  ere  again  repelled,  and  forced  across  the  Occoquan. 

On  the  27th,  an  expedition  consisting  of  nineteen  hun- 
dred cavalry  and  six  hundred  infantry,  under  command  of 
Reneral  Washburne,  set  out  from  Helena,  Ariransr  s,  into 
Mississippi,  to  reach  Coffee ville,  and  disperse  a  bcc'y  of  tho 
enemy  posted  there,  and  destroy  the  bridges  and  telegraph 
offices.  Embarking  at  Helena,  they  landed  at  Delta,  and 
marched  into  the  interior.  Thirty-five  miles  was  the  first 
day's  march,  when  the  confluence  of  the  Tallahatchie  with 
the  Cold  water  river  was  gained,  and  the  former  stream  l:eing 
crossed,  the  march  continued  toward  Grenc/la.  The  Cen- 
tral Mississippi  railroad  was  reached,  and  with  the  Ninth 
Illinois  cavalry,  and  about  one  hundred  troops,  armed  with 
carbines  and  implements  for  destroying  the  railway  track 
telegraph,  and  bridges,  Major  Buje  successfully  carried  hit 
orders  into  execution.  Moving  then  on  the  road  toward 
Coffee  ville,  a  skirmish  took  pla^-e  at  Mitchell's  Crossroads, 
and  the  route  was  continued  through  Panola  and  Oakland. 
Near  the  latter  place,  a  contest  ;ook  place,  and  the  enemy 
being  routed,  fled  toward  Coffeeville.  The  advance  waa 
discontinued,  and,  his  object  being  accomplished,  General 
Hovey  ordered  an  immediate  return.  This  was  done,  and 
the  expedition  safely  reached  Helena,  after  an  absence  of 
six  days,  having  travelled  about  two  hundred  miles  by  land. 

OD  the  7th  of  December  1862,  the  splendid  ste%mship 


800  THE  STEAMSHIP   ARIEL   CAPTURED. 

Ariel,  from  New  York,  bound  to  Aspinwall,  and  having  * 
full  complement  of  passengers  for  California,  when  off  Cape 
May,  Cuba,  encountered  the  rebel  pirate  Alabama  ;  although 
using  her  utmost  speed,  she  was  rapidly  approac-ied  by  the 
pirate.  No  attention  was  paid  by  the  Ariel  to  the  blank 
shot,  and  then  two  shotted  guns  were  fired,  which  indicated 
a  broadside.  A  ball  passed  over  the  hurricane  deck,  and 
another  severed  the  foremast.  Captain  A.  G.  Jones,  the 
Ariel's  commander,  went  on  board  the  Alabama,  where  ho 
was  met  by  Captain  Semmes,  and  received  the  unpleasant 
intelligence  that  his  ship  was  a  prize,  and  would  be  de- 
stroyed on  landing  the  passengers  in  Cuba.  Captain  Jonea 
protested  against  such  cruelty  to  the  passengers,  many  of 
whom  were  women  and  children.  In  the  interval  of  two 
days,  during  which  negotiations  were  pending  in  regard  to 
the  Ariel,  her  steam  valve  was  taken  away  to  prevent  her 
escape,  in  case  of  the  pirate  chasing  another  vessel.  Both  ves- 
sels now  headed  for  Kingston,  Jamaica,  where  the  passengers 
were  put  on  shore.  Semmes  eventually  consenting  to  take 
bonds  for  the  Ariel  and  her  cargo,  Captain  Jones  entered 
iuto  securities  for  $228,000,  payable  to  Jefferson  Davis,  on 
the  declaration  of  peace.  The  United  States  marines,  one 
hundred  and  twenty  in  number,  were  paroled.  The  pirates 
plundered  the  ship  of  $9,500,  but  the  private  property  of 
the  passengers  was  respected.  The  arms  and  cannon  on 
board  were  captured.  The  Ariel,  being  in  a  few  days  re- 
leased, resumed  her  voyage  to  Aspinwall,  and  the  Alabama 
*£^,in  proceeded  en  her  devastating  course,  in  pursuit  of 
viher  vessels.  Her  commander,  Raphael  Semmes,  was  borii 
in  Maryland,  and  in  1837  had  gained  the  rank  of  lieutenant 
in  the  United  States  navy.  He  subsequent1^  practiced  law 
at  Mobile,  was  inspector  of  the  light-house  mere  at  a  later 
period,  and  was  finally  dismissed  for  fraud.  When  the  re- 
bellion broke  out,  he  was  placed  ny  the  Confederate  Gov- 
ernment in  command  of  the  Alabama. 

The  great  preparations  made  in  November  to  tit  out  an 
expedition  the  destination  of  which  was  unknown,  under 
general  Banks  in  New  York  city,  were  now  completed,  and 
it  sailed  on  the  4th  of  December.  None  of  the  frauds  prac- 
ticed on  the  Government  during  the  war,  were  of  a  more 
villainous  and  shameful  character  than  those  in  the  contracts 
for  these  vessels  «.he  rottenness  of  many  of  which  endan- 


GENERAL  BANKS  AT  NEW  ORLEANS.        301 

gered  many  precious  lives.  No  less  than  twenty  of  these 
vessels  had  finally  to  be  abandoned  as  worthless,  and  the  re- 
mainder on  the  14th  reached  New  Orleans.  It  was  supposed 
that  the  expedition  would  eventually  sail  up  the  great  river, 
and  assist  in  the  assault  and  capture  of  Vicksburg. 

General  Butler  was  superseded  at  New  Orleans  by  Gen- 
eral Banks,  who  was  welcomed  and  aided  by  him.  Banks 
took  five  thousand  troops  to  be  ready  for  immediate  opera- 
tions, and  in  a  proclamation  to  the  loyal  citizens,  promised 
to  secure  their  rights.  Arguments  were  also  put  forth,  to 
•how  the  motives  which  should  lead  to  the  maintenance  of 
loyalty  to  the  Federal  Government. 

General  Butler  had  done  good  service  at  New  Orleans 
and  his  government,  which  was  efficient  and  vigorous,  had 
nothing  of  the  barbarous  inhumanity  with  which  it  was 
stigmatized  by  the  Confederates.  By  just,  and,  at  the  same 
time,  stringent  measures,  he  maintained  order  in  a  commu- 
nity which  it  was  no  easy  task  to  rule.  When  he  undertook 
the  government,  as  we  have  shown  heretofore,  affairs  were 
in  a  state  of  anarchy.  The  improved  condition  of  the  people, 
and  their  conformity  to  the  Federal  Government,  are  the 
best  comments  on  his  wise  and  useful  administration. 
General  Butler  now  returned  North. 

The  great  prices  of  provisions  and  necessaries  prove  that 
the  blockade  of  the  Southern  ports  from  the  commencement 
of  the  war  was  effective  to  all  intents  and  purposes.  A 
barrel  of  flour,  at  Charleston,  South  Carolina,  costing  thirty- 
six  dollars ;  potatoes  four  dollars  per  bushel ;  shoes,  sixteen 
dollars  per  pair. 

We  must  again  direct  the  attention  of  the  reader,  to  tlx 
great  movements  of  the  contending  armies  on  the  Rappt 
hannock,  where  Burnside  hai  now  brought  .ip  his  jontooc 
trains,  and  a  great  battle  wai  impending. 
36 


CHAPTER 

DECEMBER,    1862. 

iTTLE  OF  FRKDKRICKRBURG DII FICULTY  OF  LAYING  TH«  I  DNTOON8 — TH1 

BOMBARDMENT — THE  TROOPS  CROSS — REBRL  DEFENCES — FRANKLIN  COM. 
MENCE8  THE  BATTLE  ON  TUB  LEFT — ITS  INCIDENTS  AND  RESULT — THM 
BIGHT  AND  CENTRE — FRENCH  AND  HOWARD  ATTACK  THE  STRONG  REBEL 
POSITION — BRILLIANT  CHARGE — STERN  CONFLICT  ON  THE  CENTRE — GAL- 
LANTRY OF  THE  UNION  GENERALS — HEROISM  OF  THE  TROOPS FEDERAL 

AND  REBEL  LOSSES — THE  SANITARY  COMMISSION — THE  RETREAT — BATTLB 
OF  CANE  HILL. 

FREDKRICKSBURQ  is  situated  on  the  southern  bank  of 
the  Rappahannock.  Its  communication  with  the  rebel 
capital,  and  the  numerous  turnpikes  which  radiate  from 
this  centre,  made  it  of  importance  during  the  blockade  of 
the  Potomac,  at  which  time  it  was  the  rebel  dSpot  of  sup- 
plies. The  enemy  evacuated  it  when  McClellan  advanced 
on  Yorktown,  and  it  was  then  occupied  by  McDowell: 
When  the  latter  fell  back,  after  the  Seven  Days'  battles, 
the  enemy  again  took  possession.  Burnside,  when  march- 
ing to  the  aid  of  Pope,  in  1862,  held  it  for  a  few  days,  after 
which  the  Confederate  banner  again  waved  over  its  hills. 
The  valley  here  is  narrow ;  three  terraces  on  the  southern 
bank  have  each  an  area  of  from  a  quarter  to  half  a  mile. 
The  town  is  situated  on  the  steep  slopes  of  one  of  these 
wooded  terraces.  On  another,  the  great  battle  took  place, 
and  the  third  mounted  the  bristling  batteries  of  the  foe. 
The  Stafford  hills,  on  the  northern  bank,  commanded  the 
town,  and  the  Union  artillery  being  placed  on  these, 
rendered  the  passage  of  troops  possible.  The  hills  on 
the  south  side,  bristling  with  the  formidable  guns  of  the 
enemy,  presented  such  a  position  of  natural  and  arti- 
ficial defence,  together  with  the  row  of  strong,  carefully 
constructed  intrenchments,  as  might  well  cause  the  most 
resolute  leader  to  pause,  before  ordering  his  troops  to 
assault  them. 

The  construction  of  the  pontoon  bridges  began  on  the 
night  of  December  10th,  1862.  Hooker,  Sumner,  and 
(802) 


BATTLE   OF   FREDEKICKSBURG.  SOS 

Franklin  were  within  six  miles  of  each  other,  with  their 
concentrated  forces.  Each  man  carried  three  days'  rations, 
and  sixty  rounds  of  cartridges.  Innumerable  camp  fires 
cast  their  glare  upon  the  scene,  where  orderlies  dashed  to 
and  fro,  artillery  carriages  rumbled,  the  music  of  patriotic 
songs  swelled  loudly  upon  the  keen  wintry  air,  and  the 
distant  fire  of  musketry  occasionally  startled  the  echoes  of 
the  hills.  Long  ere  daylight  every  warrior  was  responsive 
to  the  shrill  bugle  sound.  The  regiments  started  toward 
liie  river,  where  the  pontoons  were  being  laid  amid  great 
peril  on  account  of  the  rebel  sharpshooters,  who  took  aim 
from  every  window  and  behind  every  cover.  The  sun 
had  risen,  and  the  work  was  still  incomplete.  The  enemy's 
sharpshooters  could  not  be  dislodged  or  compelled  to  desist 
by  those  of  the  Federals,  and  one  hundred  and  fifty  guns 
shelled  them  from  the  heights  with  no  better  result ;  but 
the  work  could  not  proceed  till  they  were  silenced.  The 
forces  of  the  enemy  were  massing,  and  bringing  up  their 
heavy  guns,  to  dispute  the  passage.  In  this  critical  mo- 
ment, the  Seventh  Michigan  regiment  won  undying  renown. 
Their  colonel  pledged  them  for  the  perilous  undertaking 
of  crossing  the  river  on  pontoon  boats,  and  dislodging  the 
rebel  sharpshooters.  The  sappers  and  miners  were  ordered 
to  row  these  heroes  across,  but  no  efforts  of  the  engineer 
officers  could  induce  them  to  undertake  the  desperate 
attempt.  The  gallant  Western  troops  rushed  to  the  boats, 
and  rowed  themselves  into  the  fire  which  assailed  them. 
The  river  was  two  hundred  yards  wide,  and  the  thousands 
who  lined  the  banks,  saw  one  brave  man  after  another  relin- 
quish the  oar,  and  drop  down  dead.  The  object  was  gained. 
The  brave  troops  charged  the  foe  up  the  steep  slopes,  and 
cleared  the  rifle  pits  and  buildings  adjacent  to  the  stream. 

Nobly  the  Nineteenth  and  Twentieth  Massachusetts  regi- 
ments participated.  The  pontoons  were  successfully  con- 
structed, while,  in  the  meantime,  General  Franklin  had  laid  hia 
bridges  three  miles  below,  and  crossed  his  entire  division. 
Part  of  Hooker's  division  also  made  the  passage  below 
the  city.  General  Franklin  held  the  left  of  the  line,  Hooker 
the  centre,  and  Sumner  the  right.  From  Port  Royal,  six 
miles  from  the  city,  the  Confederate  lines  extended  in  th« 
form  of  a  semicircle,  on  the  third  terrace  before  mentioned ; 
from  Port  Royal  to  Gumny  Sti  tion  (on  the  Richmond  and 


804  BATTLE   OF   FREDERICKSBURQ. 

j?redericksburg  railroad)  extended  their  right  wing,  under 
the  redoubtable  "Stonewall"  Jackson;  their  centre  ran  to 
the  telegraph  road,  and  was  commanded  by  General  Long- 
street.  Generals  A.  P.  Hill  and  J.  E.  B.  Stuart  commanded 
the  left  wing,  which  rested  upon  Massaponax  creek.  Lee 
anxiously  watched  this  wing  in  person,  lest  Sigel,  who  was 
at  Culpepper.  should  take  it  in  flank.  The  two  armiet 
are  now  in  full  array;  and  stand  ready,  at  a  moment'^ 
notice,  to  hurl  their  dread  thunders  upon  each  other. 
There  is  a  lull.  No  cannon  of  the  enemy  breaks  the 
ominous  silence. 

It  is  worth  while  to  pause,  and  contemplate  the  combat- 
ants, resplendent  in  all  the  pride  of  their  glittering  warlike 
array.  The  first  idea  which  strikes  the  mind,  when  survey- 
ing the  great  fields  of  the  rebellion  and  the  dread  ranks  of 
the  combatants,  is,  that  all  these  thousands  of  men  about 
to  destroy  each  other  at  the  word  of  command,  are  citizens 
of  the  same  country,  alike  worshippers  of  the  Supreme 
Being. 

The  morning  of  Saturday,  December  13th,  1862,  dawns 
npon  the  contending  armies.  The  face  of  nature  smiles 
serenely.  Brave  hearts  beat  high,  and  noble  forms  stand  in 
ready  attitude.  General  Franklin  is  opposed  to  the  men 
whom  Jackson  had  led  at  Cedar  Mountain,  Bull  Run,  and 
Antietam ;  Meade,  with  the  heroic  Pennsylvania  Reserves, 
is  ready  to  encounter  A.  P.  Ilill  and  Stuart ;  and  French 
and  Howard  have  not  yet  received  orders  from  Sumner  to 
attack  the  foe.  Hooker  and  his  thirty  thousand  reserves, 
have  not  yet  crossed  the  river ;  French's  division  still  num- 
bers seven  thousand  as  brave  men  as  the  world  ever  saw ; 
and  Meagher  yet  commands  twelve  hundred  of  the  stalwart 
sons  of  Erin.  Burnside  and  Lee  marshal  their  hosts,  each 
confident  of  success.  Providence  casts  a  mist  on  the  eyea 
of  the  latter,  or  the  mighty  hosts  of  gallant  patriots  would 
most  likely  have  been  annihilated.  Lee  saw  his  error  when 
too  late,  and  regretted  his  strange  blindness.  He  had  the 
Union  general  and  his  army  in  a  trap ;  that  trap  was  the 
town,  and  the  strong  hills  its  sides.  Had  he  attacked  the 
Union  forces  therein,  a  day  later,  with  his  artillery,  the 
army  might  have  perished. 

The  Federal  right  was  held  by  the  Sixth  Army  Ccrpa 
under  General  Smith,  and  consisted  of  the  division*  of 


B4.TTLE   OF   FREDERICKSBURQ  80£ 

Generals  Newton,  Burke,  and  ITowe.  The  left,  held  by  the 
First  Army  Corps,  under  Reynolds,  was  composed  of  th« 
divisions  of  Generals  Gibbons,  Meade,  and  Doubleday, 
numbering  fifty  thousand  brave  men.  Franklin's  division 
was  early  in  motion ;  his  extreme  left  lay  on  the  river, 
ihree  miles  below  the  city ;  his  centre,  a  mile  from  the 
11  ream,  and  his  right  on  the  suburbs  of  the  town.  The  field 
~>u  which  he  was  to  perform  his  evolutions,  was  favorable, 
'jeing  on  a  gentle  undulation.  The  plan  of  the  battle  was, 
nn  attack  by  Franklin  on  the  left,  in  order  to  break  the 
enemy's  lines;  this  being  accomplished,  Sumner  was  to 
charge  upon  the  centre  of  their  position,  and  was  to  be 
followed  up  by  Hooker. 

There  was  some  skirmishing  at  sunrise,  and  when  the 
fog  was  dispelled,  General  Gibbon  opened  fire  upon  the 
enemy.  A  hundred  guns  on  each*  side  now  kept  up  an 
artillery  combat  for  an  hour.  The  divisions  of  Generals 
Meade  and  Gibbons,  advanced  at  nine  o'clock  A.  M.,  and 
were  soon  involved  with  the  Confederates,  under  General 
Elill,  who  repelled  the  first  attack,  and  tenaciously  held 
his  ground.  Near  the  creek,  on  the  enemy's  extreme  right, 
two  of  General  Stuart's  batteries  were  posted,  supported  by 
two  cavalry  brigades.  Major  Pelham,  chief  of  Stuart's 
artillery,  with  a  twelve  pounder  Napoleon  gun,  kept  up  a 
destructive  fire  on  the  advancing  Union  forces.  With  such 
deadly  precision  was  the  gun  worked,  that  for  two  hours  it 
was  impossible  to  silence  it  by  thirty  Federal  cannon,  and 
"Stonewall"  Jackson,  in  admiration  declared,  "With  Major 
Pelham  on  either  flank,  I  could  vanquish  the  world."  The 
Ninth  New  York  charged  upon  another  terrible  battery  at 
the  point  of  the  bayonet.  Bravely  the  men  rushed  up  to 
the  muzzles  of  the  guns ;  their  thinned  and  broken  ranks 
were  compelled  to  fall  back,  and  the  aid  of  General  Tyler's 
brigade,  in  another  desperate  charge  on  the  guns,  did  not 
avail  to  capture  them,  and  the  attempt  was  abandoned.  An 
action  almost  general  was  now  in  progress.  At  noon,  the 
whole  division  of  Franklin  was  desperately  struggling  to 
gain  the  railroad,  and  flank  the  enemy's  works  in  the  rear 
of  the  town.  General  Meado's  division,  at  one  o'clock, 
gained  the  hill  crest  by  a  brilliant  charge,  and  urgiig  its 
way  between  Hill's  division  and  Early's  brigade,  Irove 
back  two  of  Hill's  brigades  to  their  second  line  of  work$ 


306  BATTLE   OF  FREDERICKSBURG 

and  captured  several  hundred  prisoners.  An  attempt 
duiing  this  charge,  to  turn  the  left  flank  of  the  Unioc 
forces  was  handsomely  frustrated  by  Doubleday,  and  as  the 
enemy  retired  they  were  fearfully  slaughtered  by  the 
artillery. 

__  Meadc,  not  being  rei  jforced  in  his  brilliant  advance,  had 

o  retire  a  short  distance  for  want  of  support,  as  was  also 

he  case  with  Colonel  Root's  brigade,  which  had  charged 

into  the  enemy's  works,  where  it  had  captured  two  hundred 

prisoners.     A  baitery  had  been  left  by  a  part  of  Gibbons 

li vision,  in  its  retreat,  and  was  now  exposed  to  the  fire  of 

-he  rebel  artillery.     The  hazardous  enterprise  of  recapture 

was  undertaken  by  some  non-commissioned  officers  and  men 

of  the  Sixteenth  Maine,  and  most  gallantly  they  succeeded. 

Here  the  brave  cavalry  general,  George  D.  Bayard,  was 
mortally  wounded  in  the  thigh  by  a  cannon  ball,  and  his 
lamented  death  took  place  in  a  few  brief  hours.  About  the 
same  time,  the  Confederate  General  Thomas  R.  R.  Cobb  was 
struck  also  in  the  thigh  by  a  shell,  and  soon  after  expired. 
When  the  day  closed,  the  division  of  Franklin  had  only 
advanced  five  hundred  yards  from  its  first  position.  The 
carnage  was  awful  on  both  sides. 

During  the  progress  of  this  battle  on  the  left,  the 
terraces  and  streets  of  the  town  were  the  scene  of  a  yet 
sterner  conflict.  The  Confederate  batteries  from  the  hills 
had  early  opened  a  destructive  fire,  and  a  defiant  response 
was  made  by  the  Union  artillery.  Two  hundred  guns  had 
been  thundering  for  a  long  time  without  intermission,  and 
the  valley  was  wreathed  in  dense  clouds  of  smoke.  Tho 
Union  batteries  were  ineffectual,  however,  and  to  gain  the 
fortified  terrace  a  bayonet  charge  was  required,  although  it 
seemed  madness  to  make  the  attempt.  There  was  a  high 
stone  wall  midway  up,  and  rifle  pits  behind  lined  wita 
Confederates.  An  enfilading  fire  could  be  brought  to  bear 
on  the  assailants  from  either  side.  Such  was  the  position, 
which,  pursuant  to  the  order  of  Sumner,  Generals  French 
and  Howard  were  now  to  attack.  The  troops  repeatedly 
made  the  attempt  with  the  most  undaunted  bravery.  Once 
hurled  back,  they  reformed  and  were  reinforced ;  the  con- 
centrated fir  3  of  the  enemy  mowed  down  whole  lines  like 
the  grass  of  the  field ;  the  shattered  columns  again  rallied 
and  advanced,  under  the  eye  of  the  venerable  Sumner  wha 


BATTLE  OF   FRKDKRICKSBUBQ.  807 

glass  in  hand,  anxiously  watched  the  undaunted  lines,  aa 
they  fought  with  the  most  noble  heroism.  Up  Marye'? 
Heights  their  blue  lines  rushed,  wavered,  and  fell  back. 
Every  third  man  was  killed  on  that  fatal  spct.  In  the 
words  of  Sumner,  "they  did  all  that  men  could  do."  Tho 
troops  of  the  Ninth  and  Second  Corps  gained  imperishabb 
honor,  but  melted  away  like  snow. 

Hookers  reserves,  late  in  the  afternoon,  came  up  to 
support  the  centre,  which  was  now  exhausted  and  battered. 
The  brigades  of  Humphrey,  Monk,  Howard,  Getty,  and 
Sykes,  in  solid  column,  assaulted  the  fatal  heights;  the 
dreadful  storm  which  was  hurled  upon  the  lines,  caused 
them  to  fall  back  in  disorder,  as  the  other  troops  had  done 
previously.  The  brave  men  under  Getty  had  reached  the 
stone  wall,  where  a  death  struggle  ensued.  The  crest  of 
the  hill  was  gained  by  the  other  troops,  and  some  batteries 
were  put  in  position  to  concentrate  their  fire  on  the  Confed- 
erates. When  victory  seemed  within  grasp,  the  rebel 
infantry  poured  down  in  overwhelming  force,  and  swept 
the  assailants  before  their  resistless  charge.  General  Burn- 
side,  watching  this  fierce  encounter,  exclaimed,  as  he  rapidly 
paced  the  garden  of  the  Lacy  House,  "That  crest  must  be 
taken."  But  the  struggle  had  ended.  The  Union  army, 
which  had  fought  with  such  sublime  courage,  whose  troops 
had  bled,  and  many  of  them  died  for  their  country,  could 
not  avail  now  to  retrieve  the  fortunes  of  the  day,  and  the 
battle  was  lost. 

Night  drew  her  sable  curtain  upon  the  field.  More  than 
a  thousand  of  brave  Union  soldiers  lay  still  in  death  upon 
the  hills,  and  their  sacrifice  on  the  altar  of  their  country 
had  not  broken  the  rebel  works,  which  yet  stood  unshaken. 
The  foe  in  front  and  the  river  in  his  rear,  with  tha  slaugh- 
tered heroes  and  their  wounded  comrades  lying  on  that 
desperate  field,  might  well  wring  the  heart  of  gallant  Burn 
side. 

Nc  pen  can  describe,  or  painter  portray,  the  scenes  of 
Buffering,  ajjd  the  horrors  of  the  night  succeeding  this  bloody 
conflict.  The  dead  lay  on  the  field  on  which  they  had  fallen. 
The  wounded  were  carried  away  on  stretchers ;  the  hos- 
pitals were  filled,  and  many  of  them,  being  exposed  to  tha 
enemy's  fire,  were  not  safe.  Minie  balls  and  broken  shell* 
pierced  the  roofs,  and  flew  in  at  the  doors.  The  wounded 


SOS  KJCT'UEAT   OF   THE   UNION    FORCES 

were  soon  taken  to  hospitals  on  the  northern  bank  of  the 
river ;  the  night  fortunately  being  mild  for  the  season,  or 
many  would  have  perished.  The  Sanitary  Commission, 
with  its  supplies,  nurses,  and  surgeons,  was  soon  ready  to 
mitigate  the  pains  of  the  poor  sufferers  ;  many  by  this  means 
being  saved  from  death.  A  relief  party,  twelve  hours  after 
ttiC  report  of  the  battle,  embarked  on  a  chartered  propeller 
with  plenteous  stores.  The  poor  wounded  patriots,  shiver- 
irg  with  cold,  were  not  only  supplied  with  surgical  aid,  but 
received  eighteen  hundred  blankets  and  nine  hundred  quilts 
besides  necessaries  and  comforts  in  great  abundance.  At 
Aquia  creek,  a  building  was  erected  for  distributing  sup- 
plies, and  affording  shelter,  by  means  of  which  hundreds  of 
the  patriots  were  amply  supplied,  and  sent  on  their  way  re- 
joicing. The  goodness  of  these  Christian  philanthropists, 
will  ever  be  cherished  by  a  grateful  people. 

On  Sunday  morning,  the  14th,  there  was  some  firing,  but 
no  action  resulted.  An  attempt  was  made  to  remove  the 
dead  during  the  night  after  the  battle,  but  was  prevented  by 
the  fire  of  the  enemy.  On  Sunday,  however,  both  armies  were 
engaged  in  burying  the  dead.  On  the  part  of  the  enemy; 
the  South  Carolina  brigade  of  General  Kershaw  had  suffered 
fearfully.  It  was  in  the  same  charge — the  last — that  General 
Maxey  Gregg  was  mortally  wounded,  and  the  Third  South 
Carolina  was  almost  utterly  destroyed.  Among  the  casual 
ties  on  the  Union  side,  were  Generals  George  D.  Bayard  and 
Conrad  F.  Jackson,  killed,  and  Generals  Vinton,  Gibbon, 
Kimball,  Meagher,  and  Caldwell,  wounded.  The  whole  Fed- 
eral loss  was  one  thousand  five  hundred  and  twelve  killed, 
six  thousand  wounded,  and  seven  hundred  prisoners ;  that 
of  the  Confederates  about  three  thousand  five  hundred 
killed,  wounded,  and  missing. 

Ge^^ral  Burnside,  having  called  a  council  of  war,  deter- 
mined to  withdraw  to  his  first  position  across  the  river. 
The  retreat  was  effected  during  the  night  of  the  15th,  with 
great  skill,  and  complete  success.  Neither  men,  artillery, 
nor  baggage  were  lost,  and  the  passage  was  completed  un- 
known to  the  enemy. 

The  delay  of  the  pontoon  train,  as  before  mentioned,  had 
jjiven  the  enemy  time  to  prepare  and  concentrate,  which  waa 
the  great  cause  of  failure.  Burnside,  in  his  letter  to  the 
Preside  nt  a  few  days  after,  says,  "  For  the  failure  of  the 


BATTLE  OF  CANE  HILL.  309 

attack,  I  am  responsible,  as  the  extreme  gallantry,  courage, 
and  endurance  shown  by  them  (his  troops)  was  never 
exceeded,  and  would  have  carried  the  points  had  it  been 
possible.  But  for  the  fog,  and  the  unexpected  and  unavoid- 
able delay  in  building  the  bridges,  which  gave  the  enemy 
twenty-four  hours  more  to  concentrate  his  forces  in  hia 
strong  position,  we  should  almost  certainly  have  succeeded.' 
The  disappointment  to  the  loyal  public  was  indescribable, 
and  certain  Senators  thought  that  a  change  in  the  Cabinet 
was  necessary 

On  the  28th  of  November,  a  severe  action  took  place  at 
Boonsboro  or  Cane  Hill,  in  Arkansas,  between  the  Federals, 
under  General  Blunt,  and  the  rebels,  commanded  by  Gener- 
als Marmaduke  and  Shelby.  The  Union  forces  were  com- 
posed of  three  brigades,  four  batteries,  and  six  howitzers; 
the  Confederates  were  eight  thousand  strong.  The  action 
began  with  artillery,  and  the  enemy  were  defeated  in  a  bay- 
onet charge.  Marmaduke  sent  in  a  flag  of  truce,  desiriug 
permission  to  remove  the  dead  and  wounded ;  under  this 
pretext,  he  covered  his  retreat,  and  led  his  shattered  forces 
to  Van  Buren,  where  rebel  troops  were  collecting  from  other 
parts  of  the  State,  under  General  Hind  man.  The  Confeder- 
ates were  much  mortified,  and  determined  to  avenge  thia 
defeat,  and,  by  the  destruction  of  Blunt's  forces,  gain  posses- 
sion of  the  fertile  wheat  region  of  northwestern  Arkansas. 
To  effect  this  purpose,  Hindman  advanced  with  thirty 
thousand  men.  When  Blunt  was  informed  of  his  design,  he 
telegraphed  immediately  to  General  Herron,  at  Wilson's 
creek,  Missouri,  to  come  to  his  aid  by  forced  marches.  This 
despatch  was  received  on  the  3d  of  December,  and  Herron, 
in  three  hours  was  on  the  way  with  his  advance  column, 
the  rest  of  the  forces  following  immediately.  The  whole 
distance  was  traversed  in  three  days,  and  on  the  morning  of 
the  7th,  Herron,  with  five  thousand  men,  encountered  the  en- 
emy at  Prairie  Grove,  ten  miles  above  Cane  Hill.  Blunt, 
on  the  7th,  with  his  five  thousand  troops  attacked  Hindman's 
rear,  and  thus  aided  Herron,  who  was  fighting  desperately 
against  four  times  his  own  force.  The  sound  of  Blunt's 
artillery  infused  new  ardor  into  the  exhausted  troops,  and 
the  enemy  were  now  driven  before  them.  The  combined 
forces  rested  on  their  arms  all  night,  and  occupied  the 
ground  on  which  the  enemy  had  first  formed.  The  Federal* 


810  FEI/EKAL   AXD   REBEL   LOSS. 

expected  to  renew  the  battle  next  day,  but  ITindman  re 
quested  an  interview  with  Blunt,  and  practiced  the  sami 
deception,  after  a  parley  of  five  hours,  as  was  done  previously 
by  Marrnaduke,  by  withdrawing  his  troops  during  the  flag 
of  truce.  The  Federals  lost  seven  hundred  men  •  the  robela, 
>Tor  fifteen  hundred. 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

DECEMBER,  1862 — JANUARY,  186K 

*J3   GLOBING    TEAR — EXPEDITION   OF   GENERAL   FOSTER — ITS    RKTl  *!f  - 

CAPTURE  OF  HOLLT  SPRINGS — BATTLE  OF  DAVIS'8  MILLS COIONEL  I<OR 

GAN — TAN  DORN  DKFKATED — ORGANIZATION  AND  MOVEMENT  OF  GENERAI 
BOSBCRANS'  ARMY — BATTLE  OF  MURFREESBORO — MOCOOK  DRFKATED  OK 
THK  RIGHT  WING — HEROISM  OF  SHEKIDAN — GALLANTRY  AND  DEATH  OF 
GENERAL  SILL — SUBLIME  COURAGE  OF  ROSECRANS — THF,  SECOND  DAY*8 

BATTLE TERRIBLE  CARNAGE — LOSS  OF  THE  MONITOR  AT  SEA — GENERAL 

SHERMAN'S  ATTACK  ON  TICKSBURO — WITHDRAWAL  OF  THE  ARMY — SHER- 
MAN SUPERSEDED — THE  ATTACK  ON  TICKSBURG  POSTPONED — FIGHTS  A" 
SPRINGFIELD  AND  HARTSTILLE — PRESIDENT  LINCOLN  PROCLAIMS  THE 
SLATES  OF  REBELS  FREE. 

THE  year  was  now  hastening  to  a  close.  Burnside,  after 
the  disaster  of  Fredericksburg,  had  planned  another  advance, 
bat  heavy  rains,  which  made  the  country  one  sea  of  mud, 
caused  it  to  be  abandoned.  Some  three  thousand  rebels  hud 
crossed  the  Rappahannock  and  attacked  Dumfries,  but  were 
repulsed,  and  the  campaign  in  Virginia  was  virtually  closed 
for  the  year. 

Little  was  accomplished  farther  South.  In  North  Caro 
lina,  blows  were  struck  of  an  isolated  character,  which  had 
no  direct  bearing  on  any  great  campaign.  The  chief  event 
in  this  Department,  that  marked  the  closing  year,  was  an 
expedition  of  General  J.  G.  Foster,  with  four  brigades,  under 
General  Wessels,  and  Colonels  Amory,  Stevenson,  and 
Lee,  respectively.  It  left  Newbern  on  the  8th  of  December, 
and  on  the  14th,  encountered  the  enemy  in  force,  under 
General  Evans,  near  Kingston.  The  latter  was  defeated, 
and  fled,  abandoning  the  town,  of  which  the  Union  troops 
under  Foster  took  possession.  He  destroyed  two  heavy 
guns,  and  captured  four  field  pieces.  After  destroying  also 
various  stores,  and  firing  the  bridge,  he  moved  to  White 
Hall.  Fighting  as  he  advanced,  he  came  within  eight  miles 
of  Goldsboro,  fifty  miles  from  Raleigh,  the  State  capital, 
destroying  the  trestle  work,  cars,  and  railroad ;  and  burning 
the  bridge  across  the  Neuse  under  the  enemy's  fire ;  he  then 
returned  to  Newbern,  having  advanced  eighty  miles  into  the 

(311) 


512  BATTLE    OF   DAVIS'S   MILL* 

Interior  of  the  State.  Colonel  Gray,  of  the  Ninety  sixth 
New  York  regiment,  was  killed  on  this  expedition,  whose 
total  loss  amounted  to  five  hundred  and  seventy-seven  men. 

On  the  21st,  a  keen  contest  took  place  at  Davis's  Mills, 
Mississippi,  between  Colonel  "W.  H.  Morgan,  of  the  Twenty- 
filth  Indiana  regimen*,,  vith  a  small  body  of  troops,  and  a 
superior  force  urder  Van  Dorn,  in  which  the  latter  was  de« 
feated.  This  place  is  twenty  miles  from  Holly  Springs,  and 
situated  on  Wolf  river,  which  is  crossed  by  several  bridges 
Van  Dcin  was  en  his  way  from  Holly  Springs,  where,  on 
the  19th,  he  had  captured  fifteen  hundred  Union  troops,  and 
destroyed  half  a  million  dollars'  worth  of  the  Government 
gtores,  and  a  large  quantity  of  cotton.  Morgan  determined, 
i^  his  advance  toward  the  bridges,  to  dispute  his  passage. 
He  therefore  made  such  arrangement  of  his  troops  as  were 
required,  and  occupied  the  favorable  positions  of  a  saw-mill 
and  Indian  mound.  In  a  severe  conflict,  and  after  repeated 
attempts  to  cross  the  bridges,  Van  Dorn  deemed  it  prudent 
to  retire,  having  suffered  a  loss  of  twenty  killed  and  thirty 
wounded.  He  then  proceeded  westerly,  and  crossed  the 
"Wolf  river,  ten  miles  from  Lagrange.  Moving  toward  Bol- 
ivar, and  passing  through  the  Federal  lines  at  Middleburg, 
he  escaped. 

After  the  capture  of  Holly  Springs,  General  Forrest 
crossed  at  Clifton,  and  proceeded  toward  Jackson,  with  the 
intention  of  gaining  possession  of  the  Mobile  and  Ohio  rail- 
road, by  means  of  which  General  Grant's  arrny  was  supplied. 
Passing  Lexington,  on  his  way  toward  Jackson,  he  encoun- 
tered twelve  hundred  men,  under  Colonel  Ingersoll.  In  a 
brisk  action,  the  former  gained  the  advantage,  capturing 
two  guns  and  several  prisoners,  and  driving  the  Federals 
back  to  Jackson,  and  finally  to  Trenton.  At  this  place 
Colonel  Fry,  commanding  the  Sixty-first  Illinois,  was  defeated 
in  an  action,  and  obliged  to  surrender,  his  men  being  pa- 
roled. Forrest  then  proceeded  on  his  way,  destroying  the 
railroul,  with  its  buildings  and  bridges,  to  a  point  within 
twelve  miles  of  Columbus.  Much  damage  was  done  to  the 
Union  cause  by  this  achievement,  and  the  supplies  of  Grant's 
army  were  for  a  time  cut  off. 

The  sum  total  of  military  operations  during  1862,  was 
not  satisfactory  to  the  people,  and  belied  the  promise  of  the 
Government,  that  the  war  vould  be  a  short  one  The  ad- 


MOVEMENT    OF   GENERAL    ROSECRANS*  ARMY.        313 

rent  of  the  New  Year,  however,  was  about  to  be  signalized 
by  an  important  battle,  which  initiated  a  series  of  move- 
ments, in  the  end  of  much  significance. 

On  the  last  day  of  December,  1862,  General  Rosecrans, 
having  his  army  organization  complete,  determined  to  offer 
the  jnemy  battle.  His  army  was  forty-three  thousand  ;  that 
of  the  enemy,  sixty-five  thousand.  A  considerable  Union 
force  had  to  be  left  for  the  defence  of  Nashville.  Rosecrami 
was  superior  to  Bragg  in  artillery,  but  far  inferior  in  caval- 
ry, llis  army  was  divided  into  three  corps,  under  Generals 
McDowell,  McCook,  George  H.  Thomas,  and  Thomas  L. 
Crittenden,  whose  brother  was  also  a  general  in  the  Confed- 
erate service.  The  corps  of  General  McCook  consisted  of 
the  divisions  of  Generals  Davis  and  Sheridan;  Rosseau's 
and  Negley's  divisions  composed  the  corps  of  General 
Thomas;  Crittenden's  corps  consisted  of  the  divisions  of 
Generals  Van  Cleve,  Wood,  and  Palmer;  and  the  cavalry 
was  commanded,  by  General  D.  S.  Stanley;  Colonel  James 
Barrett  being  chief  of  artillery,  and  Colonel  Garechd,  chief 
of  Rosecrans'  staff.  The  general  was  always  accompanied 
in  his  campaigns,  by  the  Rev.  Father  Tracy,  and  offered 
supplications  for  success,  and  thanksgiving  for  victory.  .  He 
had  a  high  reputation  for  energy  and  skill,  and  hitherto  had 
not  been  beaten  in  a  single  battle.  He  spent  two  months 
in  preparing  for  this  campaign,  and  declared  himself  willing 
to  be  superseded,  but  that  nothing  could  compel  him  to  move 
till  he  was  ready.  Securing  his  communications  with 
Nashville,  the  provisions  for  thirty  days  being  accumulated 
ho  now  determined  to  move. 

General  Bragg's  troops  were  divided  into  three  corps, 
oommanded  by  Generals  Hardee,  Polk,  and  E.  Kirby  Smith; 
Generals  Morgan  and  Forrest  commanding  the  cavalry. 
The  enemy  had  been  driven  from  Nolensville,  and  were  now 
posted  in  strong  positions  in  and  around  Murfreesboro.  The 
memorable  battle  at  the  latter  place  began  on  Wednesday, 
the  31st  day  of  December  and  continued  several  days. 

The  enemy's  forces,  in  their  intrenchments,  were  partially 
concealed  by  the  dense  woods,,  and  occupied  both  sides  of 
Stone  river ;  General  Polk,  commanding  the  right,  General 
E.  Kirby  Smith  the  centre,  and  General  Breckinridge  the 
extreme  right ;  the  left  being  under  General  Hardee.  On 
the  west  of  the  Murfreesboro  turnpike,  which  runa 
27 


814  UNION    PLAN   OF   ATTACK. 

almost  parallel  with  the  railroad,  there  is  a  cedar  forest,  and 
adjacent  to  it  lies  open  ground  ;  the  small  and  fordable 
stream  of  Stone  river  runs  with  tortuous  windings  iu  a 
northwesterly  direction.  General  McCook  commanded  on 
the  Union  right,  General  Thomas  the  centre,  and  General 
Crittenden  the  left,  which  rested  on  Stone  river.  The  ground, 
af;  the  point  where  the  left  wing  rested,  is  high,  and  the 
stream  fordable.  Attention  to  these  preliminaries  is  indis- 
pensable to  the  comprehension  of  this  important  field  of 
battle.  The  lines  were  too  much  extended,  and  had  they 
been  less  so,  the  result  of  the  first  day's  battle  might  have 
been  different.  The  plan  of  attack  consisted  in  McCook 
firmly  holding  his  position  on  the  right,  if  attacked  ;  if  not, 
he  was  to  make  such  a  demonstration  on  the  enemy's  left, 
as  to  hold  all  their  forces  in  his  front  The  battle  was  to  be 
commenced  by  General  Thomas  in  the  centre,  who  was  to 
skirmish,  and  move  toward  the  river.  Crittenden  was  to 
cross  the  ford  and  gain  the  hill,  followed  by  the  centre, 
under  Thomas.  They  were  then  to  push  back  the  right  of 
the  Confederates,  gain  their  flank,  and  move  on  Mnrfrees- 
boro.  The  pivot  on  which  the  whole  army  turned  was  the 
right  wing;  the  whole  body  was  to  swing  round,  gain  the 
enemy's  rear  by  driving  him  to  the  west,  and,  cutting  off  his 
retreat,  to  defeat  or  destroy  him.  All  depended  on  McCook's 
holding  his  position  for  three  hours,  and,  if  pressed,  to  re- 
cede slowly  and  in  good  order ;  he  knew  the  ground  well, 
and  engaged  to  do  this. 

Bragg,  in  order  to  make  sure  of  success,  left  himself  no 
reserves.  His  plan  of  attack  was  very  similar  to  that  of  the 
Federal  general.  Breckinridge,  on  the  extreme  right,  with 
a  single  division,  was  to  check  any  advance  of  the  Federals  : 
the  forces  were  then  to  be  massed  on  McCook's  left,  under 
Hardee ;  the  Union  right  was  to  be  broken,  and  driven 
back,  the  army  to  be  outflanked  by  cavalry,  communication 
with  Nashville  cut  off,  and  that  point  in  the  Union  rear 
gained. 

McCook's  division  was  under  arms  at  five  o'clock  A.  M. 
(31st),  but  no  attack  was  apprehended.  The  horses,  at  least  in 
part,  were  gone  out  to  water,  and  the  men  were  breakfasting, 
The  enemy  suddenly,  and  in  heavy  force,  emerged  silently 
from  the  woods,  and  moved  on  it  four  columns,  regimental 
front.  The  Union  force  was  unprepared  to  give  them  any 


BA.TTLE   OF   MURFREESBORO.  815 

resistance,  *nd  a  part  broke  and  fled  without  firing  a  gun 
The  Thirty-fourth  Illinois  fought  bravely  to  check  the  rebel 
advance,  but  were  swept  away  by  the  resistless  flood  of  over- 
whelming numbers.  Johnston's,  and  then  Da  vis's  men,  fought 
with  enthusiastic  bravery,  and  were  broken  before  the 
enemy,  as  the  sturdy  oaks  before  the  tempest.  The  whole 
Union  line  was  pierced,  almost  with  the  first  onset,  and  gave 
way  disordered  and  routed.  Eosecrans  sent  up  one  battery 
fcfter  another  from  Palmer  and  Negley,  but  the  prevailing 
panic  could  not  be  checked,  and  at  the  very  commencement, 
the  pivot  of  the  army  seemed  broken,  and  the  day  lost.  The 
rebel  General  McCown  had  attacked  Johnson,  and  crushed 
him  at  a  blow,  and  Cleburne  had  attacked  Davis,  and  de- 
feated his  force.  The  triumphant  enemy  sweep  on,  and 
Withers  hurls  his  forces  on  Sheridan.  The  waves  of  battle 
dash  against  a  rock,  which  stands  firm  as  the  hills.  Every 
man  is  prepared  at  his  post.  A  battery  pours  a  flood  of  firo 
on  the  assailants,  who  seem  to  defy  the  furious  missiles 
which  crash  through  their  ranks.  The  gaps  are  closed, 
and  the  brave  Confederates  rush  with  desperate  courage  upon 
Sill's  brigade.  A  sheet  of  fire,  at  pistol  range,  flashes  in 
their  faces,  and  their  ranks  are  mowed  down.  No  human 
flesh  can  endure  such  a  blast,  and  the  wavering,  breaking 
ranks  give  way,  flee,  and  are  pursued,  in  a  wild  charge 
across  the  field,  by  the  gallant  Sill,  who  falls  mortally 
wounded.  The  enemy,  rallying,  and  with  fresh  forces,  make 
a  tremendous  attack  on  Sheridan's  flank.  He  closes  up  to 
Negley,  locks  upon  the  centre,  and  faces  southwest.  Ilia 
batteries  are  well  served,  and  move  forward,  nearer  and 
closer,  till  the  batteries  on  both  sides  stand  within  close  rifle 
shot,  and  hurl  their  destructive  missiles  with  such  deadly 
effect  as  produces  fearful  carnage.  Three  times  the  bold 
foe  advances,  and  meets  a  bloody  repulse  ;  Vaughan's  brig- 
ade, on  this  spot,  losing  one-third  its  whole  force.  Sheridan's 
ammunition  is  now  expended ;  his  train  has  been  capturedj 
and  he  can  obtain  no  more.  He  retires,  therefore,  and  in 
good  order,  with  colors  flying ;  his  killed,  wounded,  and 
missing  in  this  fight,  amounting  to  seventeen  hundred,  in- 
cluding seventy  ofiicers.  His  uold  and  gallant  resistance, 
notwithstanding  the  defeat  i>f  the  left  wing,  gained  time,  and 
saved  Eosecrans.  Sill  was  killed,  Willich  captured,  Kirk 
wounded,  and  the  right  wing  g:>ne.  The  tidings  reach 


816  BATTLE   OF   MURFREESBORO. 

Rosecram,  "Never  mind,  we  must  win  the  lattle,"  he  remarks 
Tie  now  vaulted  into  the  saddle,  and  dashed  in  amid  a  fear- 
ful fire.  Galloping  up,  he  halts  in  front  of  Barker's  brigade, 
and  seeing  a  hostile  battery,  cries  to  the  chief  of  artillery 
"Silence  thai  lattery."  He  planted  the  guns  with  his  own 
hands,  and  galloped  ofT  again.  Meeting  Sheridan,  with  hi? 
small  band  of  heroes  without  ammunition,  the  latter  genera! 
said,  "Here  is  all  that  is  left,  general ;  we  have  no  cartridges 
and  the  guns  are  empty."  He  was  directed  ;vhere  to  be 
supplied,  and  in  a  few  moments  again  faced  the  foe.  Negley, 
on  the  right  of  the  centre,  by  the  retreat  of  Sheridan 
was  outflanked,  and  Thomas  gave  the  order  to  "  cut  their 
way  out."  The  Eleventh  Michigan,  Nineteenth  Illinois,  and 
Twenty -first  Ohio  move  forward  with  the  bayonet,  and 
drive  the  foe  back  in  confusion.  The  army  was  now  at 
right  angles  to  its  former  position,  and  the  left  tenaciously 
held  its  place  on  the  stream. 

Eosecrans,  with  admirable  skill,  prepared  to  roll  back  the 
tide  of  battle.  Thousands  of  soldiers  a  moment  ago  fled 
in  confusion  before  the  pursuing  foe ;  that  moment  was  preg- 
nant with  the  fate  of  the  Republic.  A  mistake  might  be 
fatal  to  the  army.  He  must  adopt  a  new  plan,  and  change 
his  tactics  in  the  presence  of  the  enemy.  He  posts  his  regi- 
ments and  batteries  along  the  turnpike,  in  front,  so  as  to 
repel  the  rebels  in  their  advance.  The  Federals,  pursued 
by  the  enemy  closer  and  closer,  pour  in  an  unbroken  stream, 
in  masses  which  preserved  no  recognition  of  divisions  or 
regiments,  infantry  or  cavalry.  The  part  of  the  army  to 
which  the  task  of  meeting  the  advancing  victorious  columns 
of  the  enemy  is  entrusted,  is  commanded  by  General  Thomas. 
He  rides  forward  with  great  coolness,  animating  his  men, 
and  enjoining  them  to  meet  with  firmness,  and  in  silence, 
the  onset  of  che  yelling  foe.  The  critical  moment  has  come 
At  the  word  of  command,  a  bright  sheet  of  flume  runs  along 
the  Union  ranks,  and  the  exultant  foe  is  met  with  a  terrible 
volley.  The  artillery  immediately  follows,  and  shakes  the 
earth  with  its  thunders.  The  thick  masses  of  the  enemy 
are  crushed  into  fragments;  the  destructive  fire  sweeps 
down  wbole  ranks  before  it,  and  regiments  are  broken  to 
pieces.  Piles  of  dead  and  wounded  strew  the  ground.  The 
whole  line  charges,  and  the  enemy,  falling  back,  are  driven 
over  a  part  of  the  ground  occupied  in  the  commencement 


BATTLE    OF    MURFREESBORO.  817 

of  the  battle  by  the  Union  right  wing.  In  their  (light,  the 
Confederates  are  pursued  by  the  artillery,  which  continues 
to  thin  their  broken  ranks. 

The  first  day  of  this  great  battle  was  now  closed.  Rose- 
crans  had  been  present  in  person,  and  directed  its  operations 
after  the  failure  of  the  right  wing  ;  he  was  found  amid  the 
thickest  of  the  strife,  animating  the  troops  with  his  own 
courage.  Storms  of  bullets  were  showered  round  him;  his 
chief  of  staff,  Colonel  Gareche,  was  killed  at  his  side,  arid  hia 
orderlies  fell  rapidly.  The  results  of  the  day  were  not 
favorable  to  the  Federal  cause,  and  it  was  plain  that 
another  battle  would  have  to  be  fought.  No  action 
took  place  on  Thursday,  January  9th.  The  dead  were  to  be 
buried,  and  the  wounded  cared  for ;  seven  thousand  patriots 
had  been  struck  down  in  ten  hours ;  the  ammunition  was 
expended,  and  much  of  the  artillery  captured.  Rosecrans 
however,  determined  on  another  battle,  and  marking  out  the 
new  position,  said,  "  Gentlemen,  we  conquer  or  die  liere" 

General  Van  Cleve's  division,  of  Crittendcn's  corps,  was 
so  disposed,  that  its  left  wing  rested  on  the  Lebanon  road, 
and  its  right  on  Lytle's  creek ;  Palmer  was  posted  east  of 
the  Nashville  road  ;  Rosseau,  between  the  turnpike  and  the 
railroad ;  McCook  on  Rosseau's  right,  while  Negley  held 
the  rear  with  the  reserves. 

On  the  morning  of  Friday,  the  2d,  the  enemy  attacked 
the  batteries  of  Rosseau,  which  were  commanded  by  Colonel 
Loomis.  A  terrible  artillery  duel  ensued,  in  which  several 
rebel  batteries  were  silenced.  When  the  Confederate  generals 
saw  that  the  Federals  had  the  advantage,  they  withdrew 
their  guns  from  the  contest,  reconnoitered,  consulted  together 
for  several  hours,  and  resumed  the  action  at  four  o'clock  P.M 

Immense  columns,  led  on  by  Breckinridge,  attacked  Vac 
Cleve's  division ;  the  latter  general  being  wounded,  the 
command  devolved  on  Colonel  Beatty,  of  the  Nineteenth 
Ohio.  The  troops  gallantly  resisted  half  an  hour,  but  An- 
derson and  Cleburne  having  reinforced  the  enemy,  their 
superior  numbers  soon  overwhelmed  the  patriots.  The 
rebels  attacked  two  brigades  of  Beatty  which  were  retreat- 
ing, and  drove  them  to  Lytle's  creek.  General  Negley  ar- 
rived in  time  to  assist  a  third  brigade,  which  was  also  in  the 
»ct  of  retreating.  His  arrival  was  opportune,  and  the  troops 
enthusiastically  rushing  forward,  opened  a  fire  upon  the 


818  RETREAT   OF   THE     KNKHfY. 

enemy  witli  such  effect,  as  to  decimate  their  ranks,  and  force 
them  to  retreat.  General  Jefferson  C.  Davis  now  brought 
up  his  troops  to  Negley's  assistance.  Plunging  into  the 
stream,  they  gained  the  bank,  and  charged  the  disordered 
enemy.  The  first  across  was  the  Seventy  eighth  Pennsyl- 
vania, under  Colonel  Sirwell,  who  led  his  troops  in  a  fieico 
charge,  up  the  hill.  A  desperate  fight  with  the  Twenty- 
sixth  Tennessee  infantry,  ended  in  the  capture  of  a  greal 
portion  of  that  regiment,  together  with  its  colors.  This 
triumph  of  the  Seventy-eighth,  cost  the  lives  of  some  of  itu 
bravest  men  ;  Captains  Camseller  and  Chandler  being  killed, 
and  Colonel  Scott  and  Major  Guthrie  severely  wounded. 
The  Nineteenth  Illinois,  in  this  charge,  lost  fifty  men. 
The  enemy  were  thus  driven  within  a  short  distance  of 
Murfreesboro,  leaving  the  field  covered  with  the  slain  and 
wounded.  A  battery,  many  prisoners,  and  their  colors,  were 
oaptured. 

Rosecrans  now  ordered  an  advance  of  the  whole  lino 
which  was  executed  with  resistless  energy.  The  serried 
ranks  of  the  enemy  faded  like  frost  before  the  sun ;  they 
made  a  stern  resistence  on  their  centre  and  left,  but  Negley 
had  broken,  and  was  pursuing  their  right  wing ;  the  victo- 
rious cheers  of  his  men  rang  in  the  ears  of  the  Confederates, 
and  at  last,  giving  way,  they  retreated  beyond  Lytle's  creek, 
near  Murfreesboro,  night  alone  saving  their  works  from 
assault  and  capture.  General  Stanley,  with  the  cavalry, 
was  here  conspicuous  for  heroism,  and  effectually  turned  the 
flight  of  the  enemy  into  a  complete  rout. 

At  the  close  of  Friday,  January  2d,  the  Federals  in- 
trenched upon  the  ground  already  won  from  the  foe.  No 
engagement  now  occurred,  but  the  Union  artillery  shelled 
the  enemy.  Copious  rain  descended  on  the  field  of  battle, 
and  the  conflict  was  expected  to  be  resumed  when  it  ceased, 
but  the  Confederates,  during  Saturday  night,  abandoned 
their  intrenchments,  and  retreated  to  Tullahoma.  They  ha  I 
captured,  on  Wednesday,  twenty-eight  pieces  of  artillery 
and  several  thousands  of  prisoners,  but  the  battle  of  Friday, 
although  dearly  bought,  was  a  Union  victory.  During  this 
battle,  part  of  the  Anderson  cavalry,  which  had  enlisted 
with  the  understanding  of  being  Buell's  body-guard,  and 
Lad  not  been  properly  assigned,  since  his  removal,  to  a  suita- 
ble position,  mw  partly  mutiuied  ;  the  part  which  remained 


LOSS   OF   THE   MONITOR  AT  SEA.  819 

fought  with  great  heroism,  and  had  eleven  killed  and  forty 
wounded,  among  the  former  the  brave  Major  Rosengarten, 
The  total  loss  of  the  Federals  in  this  battle,  was  one  thousand 
five  hundred  and  twenty-three  killed,  including  ninety  offi- 
cers seven  thousand  two  hundred  and  forty-five  wounded, 
•and  several  thousands  prisoners.  Among  the  Federal  offi- 
cers killed,  were  Brigadier-general  Sill,  Colonels  Roberta 
and  Schaffer,  and  Lieutenant-colonel  Gareche'.  Among  the 
wounded,  were  Major-general  Alexander  McCook,  and  Brig- 
adiers Willich,  Kirk,  Wood,  and  Van  Cleve.  The  Union 
loss  was  over  twenty  per.  cent  of  the  whole  force.  Tha 
-ebels  lost  General  Rains,  killed ;  and  Bragg  acknowledged 
a  loss  of  ten  thousand  killed  and  wounded,  not  including 
twenty-eight  hundred  in  prisoners  and  wounded,  left  in  the 
hands  of  the  victors.  In  this  battle,  both  sides  fought  with 
great  determination.  In  few  fields  did  the  Confederates 
suffer  a  more  disastrous  defeat ;  but  the  victory  was  dearljf 
bought  by  the  Unionists. 

On  the  30th  of  December  (1862),  the  iron-clad  Monitor 
which  had  achieved  such  a  splendid  triumph  over  the  rebei 
ram  Merrimac,  in  the  early  part  of  the  year,  at  Hampton 
Roads,  and  which  was  the  oldest  of  the  Federal  iron-clads, 
"oundered  at  sea  off  Cape  ITatteras,  with  a  loss  of  two  officers 
and  twenty -eight  men.  Captain  John  P.  Bankhead,  was  in 
command,  and  on  the  29th,  it  was  found  that  the  packing 
under  and  around  the  base  of  the  tower,  had  been  loosened 
by  the  working  of  the  latter.  In  a  short  time,  the  Worth- 
ington  and  Centrifugal  pumps,  both  in  turn  applied,  were 
not  found  of  any  benefit,  and  the  water  rose  above  the  floor, 
in  the  engine  room.  The  Rhode  Island  lay  along-side  of 
the  Monitor,  and  several  of  the  boats  of  the  former  rescued 
most  of  the  crew  of  the  sinking  vessel.  Several  remained 
clinging  to  the  turret,  fearful  of  leaving  it,  as  a  few  had  been 
swept  off  the  deck  ;  these,  when  the  Monitor  gave  a  lurch, 
and  sunk  in  the  sea,  found  with  her  a  watery  grave. 

On  the  Mississippi,  the  first  attempt  to  capture  Vicksburg 
had  failed,  and  on  the  21st  of  June,  a  new  effort  had  been 
made  by  Captains  Davis  and  Porter,  with  the  gunboats  ana 
fleet.  An  effort  to  dig  an  artificial  channel  for  the  river, 
across  the  narrow  peninsula  on  which  the  city  stands,  was 
found  at  that  time  to  be  impracticable,  and  the  co-operation 
of  a  land  force  was  deemed  ne^wary,  in  order  to  captura 


820  SHERMAN'S  ADVANCE  ON  TICKSBUBO. 

the  stronghold,  and  open  the  Mississippi.  After  considerable 
delay,  in  the  month  of  December,  1862,  General  William  T. 
Sherman,  with  a  powerful  land  force,  was  about  to  attack 
the  city.  The  naval  portion  of  the  expedition  left  Memphis 
and  Helena  on  the  23d  of  December,  and  consisted  of  nearl/ 
one  hundred  vessels,  including  transports  and  gunboats. 

Many  of  the  gunboats  had  already  been  renowned  in  the 
annals  of  this  great  rebellion.  Among  them  was  the  Benton, 
Carondelet,  Black  Hawk,  Mound  City,  Louisville,  Lexington, 
and  Switzerland.  The  reinforcements  to  the  rebel  garrison 
in  Vicksburg,  from  Arkansas,  were  sent  by  the  railroad  from 
Shreveport,  which  traverses  Milliken's  Bend.  To  attack  the 
works  at  Shreveport  was  important,  and  some  Federal  troops 
being  disembarked  for  that  purpose,  proceeded  twenty  miles 
inland,  burned  part  of  the  town,  and  after  destroying  the  track, 
bridges,  culverts,  and  stations,  returned  to  Milliken's  Bend 
and  proceeding  down  the  stream,  reached  the  mouth  of  th« 
Yazoo  on  the  26th.  They  then  advanced  up  the  Yazo« 
sixteen  miles,  and  disembarked  between  the  confluence  of 
the  Yazoo  with  the  Old  river  and  Johnson's  Ferry.  The  land 
ing  was  made  on  the  south  side  of  the  stream,  eight  miles 
from  Vicksburg.  The  main  body  of  the  rebels  was  posted 
at  Haines'  Blufl,  with  a  battery  of  twenty  guns.  Every  hill 
and  approach  to  the  city  was  well  fortified.  The  Federal 
forces,  about  twenty-five  thousand  strong,  consisted  of  the 
troops  stationed  at  Memphis,  part  of  the  army  of  Curtis,  in 
Arkansas,  the  army  which  had  evacuated  Cumberland  Gap, 
and  some  recruits  from  the  Western  States,  the  whole  being 
under  the  command  of  General  Sherman.  There  were  four 
divisions,  viz. :  those  of  Generals  Frederick  Steele,  Morgan 
L.  Smith,  George  W.  Morgan,  and  A.  J.  Smith  ;  the  brigade 
commanders  were,  Frank  Blair,  A.  P.  Hovey,  Thayer,  and 
Colonel  De  Courcy.  The  place  was  regarded  as  a  second 
Gibraltcr,  and  was  defended  by  a  large  Confederate  force 
This  fortified  position  had  powerful  intrenchments,  made  of 
fallen  timber  earth  embankments,  sloughs,  and  rifle  pits, 
and  mounted  one  hundred  guns. 

His  dispositions  being  ready,  Sherman  ordered  the  brig- 
ades of  Blair  and  Stuart  to  advance  on  the  enemy's  position. 
They  drove  in  the  pickets  of  the  foe  ;  Smith's  division  fol 
lowed,  and  moving  up  on  the  front,  was  placed  in  position. 
The  arrangements  were  con  oleted  on  the  27th  of  December 


FAILURE   OP   THE   ATTACK   OX   VICKSBURG.        82*, 

and  on  Sunday  morning,  the  29th,  both  armies  were  drawj 
up  in  order  of  battle.  It  began  with  cannonading,  and  for 
the  space  of  an  hour,  the  Federals  lay  on  their  backs ; 
when  the  order  was  given  to  charge  on  the  nearest  battery 
which  was  successfully  executed,  and  the  rebels  removed 
their  guns  beyond  the  lagoon,  to  the  foot  of  the  bluffs. 
In  this  charge,  the  Union  Colonel  Wyman  was  killed  and 
General  M.«  Smith  wounded.  The  Sixth  and  Eighth  Mis- 
souri regiments  had  participated  in  the  attack.  A  heavy 
cannonading  on  the  left,  seemed  to  indicate  an  attack  upon 
General  Steele,  and  Sherman  determined  to  carry  the  outer 
line  of  the  enemy  by  assault ;  consequently  he  ordered 
General  Morgan  and  Colonel  De  Courcy  forward,  with 
Colonel  Ladrum's  brigade  as  a  reserve.  The  first  line  was 
carried,  and  the  Federals  now  saw  what  formidable  intrench- 
ments  must  be  taken  before  the  city  could  be  captured. 
The  gunboats,  in  the  meantime,  had  been  engaged,  and 
in  an  attack  of  a  few  hours'  duration  on  Haines'  Bluff)  each 
vessel  had  fired  sixty  guns.  Captain  Gwin,  of  the  Benton, 
was  mortally  wounded ;  the  balls  of  the  enemy  had  twice 
pierced  his  vessel,  and  four  men  on  board  were  also  killed. 
The  attack  failed,  and  the  gunboats  were  withdrawn. 

The  grand  assault  took  place  on  the  29th,  at  an  anticipated 
point,  and  therefore  the  movement  was  an  injudicious  one. 
The  first  gun  boomed  at  nine  o'clock  A.  M.,  and  a  severe 
cannonading  took  place,  which  lasted  until  noon.  Sherman 
now  resolved  to  storm  the  works  by  a  general  assault,  and 
Steele's  troops  were  brought  forward,  together  with  those 
of  Morgan ;  Blair,  with  his  troops,  occupying  the  west  of 
the  bayou.  The  advance  toward  the  enemy's  second  line, 
was  made  with  great  spirit ;  the  intrenchments  were  reached, 
and  the  enemy  driven  out  of  their  strongholds.  The  Feder- 
als lost  heavily.  Blair's  brigade  heroically  advanced  on  the 
enemy's  batteries,  and  followed  by  the  troops  of  Fletcher 
Diester,  Peckham,  Thayer,  and  Cavendcr,  they  scaled  th* 
hill,  and  hoisted  the  Union  flag  upon  the  inner  breast 
works.  A  deadly  struggle  ensued,  in  which  the  ad- 
vantages of  the  enemy's  artillery,  and  superior  numbers 
prevailed ;  the  assailants  being;  hurled  down  the  heights 
with  dreadful  slaughter,  whicn  decimated  their  ranks.  The 
attack  was  a  failure,  and  proved  that  the  stronghold  could 
not  be  taken  from  the  Yazoo,  &&  a  base.  The  Federal  loss 


$22      SLAVES  OF  REBELS  PROCLAIMED  FREE. 

amounted  to  six  hundred  killed,  one  thousand  five  hundred 
Bounded,  and  one  thousand  captured. 

On  Thursday,  January  16th,  General  Sherman  was  super- 
seded by  General  McClernand,  and  a  council  of  war,  on 
board  the  Tigris,  concluded  that  the  present  force  was  insuf- 
ficient to  capture  Yicksburg.  The  design  was  therefore  for 
ilie  present  abandoned,  and  the  troops  re-embarked,  to  make 
un  attempt  elsewhere  with  more  prospect  of  success. 

On  the  10th  of  January,  1863,  the  rebels,  in  considerable 
force,  made  an  attack  on  Springfield,  Missouri,  which  was 
defended  by  Colonel  Crabb,  with  the  Nineteenth  Iowa,  but 
were  repulsed  with  the  loss  of  thirty- five  killed  and  wounded. 
The  Union  loss  was  seventeen  killed  and  fifty -two  wounded. 
At  the  same  time,  a  fight  took  place  at  Hartsville,  in  the 
same  State,  in  which  seven  hundred  troops,  under  Major 
Collins,  attacked  and  routed  several  thousand  marauders, 
under  Marmaduke,  and  drove  them  five  miles  toward  the 
south,  with  the  loss  of  one  hundred  men  ;  the  Federal  loss 
being  only  thirty -five  killed  and  wounded. 

In  the  beginning  of  1863,  the  President,  in  accordance 
with  the  promise  of  his  proclamation  of  the  22d  of  Septem 
ber,  1862,  proceeded  to  designate  the  States,  and  parts  of 
States,  which  should  be  in  a  state  of  resistance  to  the  Federal 
Government  on  the  1st  of  January,  1863,  in  which  States 
all  slaves  should  become  forever  free.  The  States,  or  parts 
of  States,  were  Arkansas,  Texas,  Louisiana,  except  ten  par- 
ishes (including  the  city  of  New  Orleans),  Alabama,  Florida, 
Georgia,  South  Carolina,  and  Virginia,  except  West  Virginia, 
and  seven  counties.  The  radicals  regarded  this  proclamation 
as  the  mortal  blow  of  slavery,  and  rejoiced  in  consequence. 
The  conservatives  received  it  with  approbation,  and  the 
loyal  North  was  universally  satisfied.  Not  so  the  rebel 
Congress,  who  poured  their  unmeasured  execrations  on  the 
name  of  Mr.  Lincoln,  in  all  the  ferocity  of  men  who  knew 
it  would  be  detrimental  to  the  rebel  cause.  The  general 
voice  of  the  Southern  community  and  press  was  such  that 
no  terms  of  reprobation  could  be  employed  too  severe  i» 
denouncing  the  policy  of  the  President  of  the  United  Ptatea. 


CHAPTER    XXXII. 

JANUARY — FEBRUARY — MARCH,   1868. 

•  ATTI.K  OF  HUNT'S  CROSSROADS — CARTKR's  EXPEDITION  INTO  EAST  ItK 
NK88EE — SKIRMISH  AT  MOOREFIELD,  VIRGINIA — REBEL  ATTACK  ON,  ANC 
CAPTURK  OF,  GALVESTON,  TEXAS — THE  WORKTNGMEN  OF  MANCHESTER, 

ENGLAND,     ADDRESS      MR.      LINCOLN HIS      REPLY BOMBARDMENT      AND 

CAPTURE  OF  ARKANSAS  POST — GENERAL  BURN8IDE  SUPERSEDED — THK 
QUESTION  OF  NEGRO  TROOPS  IN  THE  ARMY — REBEL  CRUISER  ORETO — DE- 
STRUCTION OF  THE  STEAMBOAT  HATTERAS — REBEL  ATTACK  ON  FORT 
DONEL8ON — THE  CONSCRIPTION  BILL — CAPTURE  OF  THE  QUEEN  OF  THK 
WEST — DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  PIRATE  NASHVILLE — FIGHT  AT  THOMPSON'S 
STATION,  TENNESSEE — CAVALRY  FIGHT  OF  AVERILL,  AT  KELLY'S  FORD — 
ATTACK  ON  PORT  HUDSON — ITS  INCIDENCES  AND  RESULTS — VICTORY  OF 
GENERAL  GILMORE  AT  SOMERSET — REPORT  OF  THE  COMMITTEE  ON  THK 
CONDUCT  OF  THE  WAR. 

CONTEMPORARY  with  the  battles  of  Murfreesboro  and 
Vicksburg,  was  that  of  Hunt's  Crossroads,  Tennessee, 
between  the  rebel  General  Forrest,  with  seven  thousand 
cavalry  and  ten  guns,  and  General  J.  C.  Sullivan,  on  the 
Federal  side,  with  six  hundred  men  and  eight  guns.  This 
battle  occurred  in  the  vicinity  of  Lexington,  Tennessee,  and 
was  fought  on  December  31st,  to  intercept  the  passage  of 
Forrest  across  the  Tennessee  river,  at  Clifton,  with  his  plun- 
der. After  a  bloody  contest,  in  which  the  Union  troops 
fought  gallantly,  the  rebels  having  lost  two  pieces,  which 
were  turned  against  them,  were  forced  to  retire,  with  the 
loss  of  one  thousand  men.  The  Federal  loss  was  twenty 
killed,  one  hundred  wounded,  and  sixty  prisoners.  The 
fruits  of  the  victory,  including  those  before  mentioned,  were 
seven  cannon,  with  caissons  and  ammunition,  and  five  hun- 
dred horses,  together  with  wagons,  ambulances,  and  smal) 
arms. 

On  the  21st  of  December,  General  Carter,  with  one  thou- 
sand cavalry,  started  from  Manchester,  Kentucky,  on  an 
expedition  into  East  Tennessee.  He  destroyed  several  im 
portant  bridges,  a  locomotive  and  train,  and  captured  five 
hundred  and  fifty  prisoners,  and  seven  hundred  stand  of 
arms.  The  expedition  was  made  in  the  midst  of  great  diffi 

(323) 


824  REBEL   ATTACK   ON    GALVESTON. 

culties,  arising  from  bad  roads  and  inclement  weather,  bui 
succeeded,  with  a  loss  of  only  ten  killed,  in  severing  the 
communication  between  Virginia  and  the  Southwest.  Gen- 
eral Halleck  expressed  his  admiration  of  this  movement  of 
General  Carter. 

A  spirited  skirmish  took  place  at  Moorefield,  Virginia,  on 
January  3d,  1863,  between  Colonel  Wilder,  and  a  body  of 
the  enemy,  under  General  Jones.  In  a  stubborn  fight,  in 
which  the  Confederate  cavalry  was  checked  by  the  volleys 
of  the  Federal  infantry,  the  result  was  for  awhile  doubtful, 
Out  reinforcements  to  the  latter  having  arrived,  the  enemy 
retreated.  The  valor  of  the  Union  troops  was  so  great,  as 
to  render  this  skirmish  worthy  of  mention. 

On  the  1st  of  January,  the  second  day  of  the  battle  of 
Murfreesboro,  the  Confederates  gained  a  signal  victory  at 
Galveston,  Texas,  which  controlled  a  great  portion  of  the 
seaboard  of  the  State.  The  Federals,  under  Commodore 
Renshaw,  had  previously  gained  possession  of  the  place,  and 
were  reinforced  on  the  25th  of  December,  1862.  Galveston  is 
situated  on  an  island,  connected  with  the  main  land  by  a 
bridge,  at  whose  extreme  end — Virginia  Point — the  rebels 
had  assembled  in  force.  Commodore  Renshawhad  determined 
on  destroy  ing  the  bridge,  but  on  an  agreement  with  the  enemy 
that  it  would  not  be  used  to  transfer  troops,  or  any  contra- 
band article,  the  design  was  not  carried  out.  The  conditions 
were  not  respected  by  the  perfidious  foe.  The  Harriet  Lane 
was  stationed  at  the  other  terminus  of  the  bridge,  over  which 
the  rebels  transported  trains  of  cars,  troops,  and  guns,  on 
the  night  of  December  31st;  their  force  amounting  to  three 
thousand  men,  with  fourteen  guns. 

Four  rebel  gunboats  were  seen  approaching  the  same 
evening.  These  were  about  to  be  encountered  by  the  Fed 
eral  gunboats  Westfield  and  Clifton,  but  were  driven  from 
their  course  by  the  wind  and  t'.de,  and  finally  grounded  on 
Pelican  Island.  The  enemy,  at  this  time,  made  an  attack 
upon  Galveston,  and  the  Harriet  Lane  opened  fire  on  them. 
Seen  in  the  clear  moonlight,  a  large  body  of  rebels  assaulted 
her,  reached  her  deck,  and  slew  her  commander,  Captain 
Waimvright.  The  crew  made  little  defence,  and  the  rebels 
turned  her  guns  on  the  Federal  gunboats.  On  the  approach 
of  the  Owasco,  which  was  not  aware  of  the  change  of  owners 
T'.is  vessel  received  a  broadside  but  soon  disabled  hT  ad- 


THE    WORKINGMEN    OF    MANCHESTER,    ENGLAND.      329 

v.rsary  by  a  well  directed  shot.  Next  day,  the  enemy  took 
possession  of  the  city,  after  a  brave  resistance.  In  blowing 
up  the  Westfield,  the  premature  explosion  of  the  train  de- 
stroyed the  lives  of  the  Federal  officers  and  men  who  had 
not  time  to  escape  beyond  reach.  The  other  gunboats  es- 
caped tc  sea,  but  several  vessels  were  captured  by  the 
enemy.  Galveston  thus  fell  into  the  enemy's  hands;  three 
hundred  of  its  defenders  being  killed,  wounded,  and 
aliasing. 

An  immense  meeting  of  the  operatives  at  Manchester, 
England,  was  held  December  31st,  1862,  in  that  city.  Res- 
olutions were  passed  of  sympathy  with  the  North,  and  it 
was  resolved  to  present  an  address  to  President  Lincoln,  in 
which  the  anti-slavery  measures  of  the  President,  and  his 
determination  to  receive  ambassadors  from  the  Republics  of 
Hayti  and  Liberia,  were  commended.  The  President,  on 
the  19th  of  January,  responded,  thanked  them  for  their  com- 
munication, demonstrated  "  that  the  duty  of  self-preservation 
rested  solely  with  the  American  people,"  and  concluded 
with  the  wish,  that  the  sentiment  of  those  who  addressed 
him  might  pervade  their  nation,  and  that  between  it  and 
the  United  States,  perpetual  harmony  should  reign.  The 
North,  during  the  war,  obtained  the  sympathies  of  the  great 
masses  of  the  English  people. 

When  General  McClernand  superseded  Sherman,  he  re- 
solved to  attack  the  rebel  fortress  of  Arkansas  Post,  and 
sent  to  Rear-admiral  Farragut  for  assistance.  The  expedi- 
tion, therefore,  was  soon  joined  by  the  Louisville,  Pittsburg, 
De  Kalb,  Cincinnati,  the  ram  Monarch,  and  several  light 
draught  gunboats.  The  land  and  naval  forces  reached 
Montgomery  Point  on  the  8th  of  January,  sailed  up  the 
White  river,  and  entered  the  Arkansas ;  in  the  latter  river, 
Band  bars  and  snags  rendered  the  passage  slow.  The  troopa 
landed  at  Belleville,  ten  miles  below  Arkansas  Post.  One 
division  proceeded  up  the  White  river,  to  make  a  flank 
movement,  and  cut  off  the  retreat  of  the'  enemy  toward 
Little  Rock.  Arkansas  Post  stands  one  hundred  feet  high, 
on  a  bluff  of  the  Arkansas  river.  At  a  point  where  the 
latter  makes  an  abrupt  bend,  the  rebels  had  erected  a  strong 
rectangular  fort,  encircled  by  a  ditch  and  numerous  rifle 
pits,  and  having  heavy  guns  on  each  side.  On  the  outsida 
was  an  abatis,  and  felled  timber  obstructed  all  the  roada 
23 


BOMBARDMENT  AND  CAPTURE  OF  ARKANSAS  POST. 

•xcept  that  to  Little  Eock.  The  garrison,  of  five  thousand 
men,  was  under  General  Churchill.  This  force  had  repelled 
the  attack,  some  months  before,  of  General  Ilovey,  and  was 
deemed  sufficient  on  this  occasion.  The  fleet  commenced 
the  bombardment  with  great  vigor,  on  January  10th,  at 
three  o'clock  P.  M.  The  range  was  not  obtained  at  first,  and 
the  firing  on  both  sides  was  ineffective,  but  this  state  did  no; 
long  continue,  and  soon  several  of  the  enemy's  guns  were 
silenced,  as  well  as  several  of  the  Federal  vessels  injured. 
After  a  contest  of  one  and  a  half  hours,  Admiral  Porter 
signalled  to  the  gunboats  to  suspend  fire.  The  night  was 
approaching,  and  the  Union  commanders  postponed  the 
attack  till  the  next  day,  havii-.g  lost  in  killed,  in  this  day's 
action,  thirty -one  men. 

On  Sunday  morning,  January  llth,  the  attack  was  re- 
sumed. The  guns  of  the  enemy  had  been  remounted,  and 
the  damages  repaired.  The  cannonading  raged  fiercely  as 
before,  but  the  Federal  fire  was  now  concentrated,  and  did 
great  damage  to  the  enemy.  McClernand  moved  upon  the 
front,  and  at  the  same  time  the  works  in  the  rear  were  shelled, 
with  well  posted  light  artillery  guns.  Several  thousand 
men  from  Fort  Charles  reinforced  the  rebels,  but  the  Union 
"orces  drove  them  from  the  rifle  pits  to  their  intrenchments, 
while  the  cannonading  between  the  gunboats  and  the  fort  was 
kept  up  incessantly.  The  main  dependence  of  the  rebels  was 
on  a  one  hundred  pound  Parrott  gun,  which  was  finally  de- 
stroyed by  a  shell,  which  also  killed  seven  men.  The  fire  of  the 
gunboats  penetrated  not  only  solid  timber,  three  feet  thick, 
but  also  the  casemates  of  the  fort,  clad  with  railroad  iron.  The 
enemy  found  their  situation  desperate,  and  at  one  time  made 
a  sally  to  attack  the  Federal  right  wing,  and  escape  to  Little 
Rock,  but  were  prevented  by  the  division  that  had  crossed 
from  the  White  river,  and  compelled  to  return  within 
their  works.  The  garrison,  four  thousand  eight  hundred 
and  ninety-one^ ir  all,  eventually  surrendered,  being  paroled, 
and  the  Federal  flag  was  hoisted  on  the  place.  The  vie 
tors  captured  the  stores,  artillery,  munitions  of  war,  and 
email  arms.  The  rebels  lost  also,  in  killed,  wounded,  and 
trussing,  five  hundred  and  fifty ;  the  Federals,  one  hundred 
and  twenty-nine  killed,  eight  hundred  and  thirty -one 
wounded,  and  seventeen  missing.  The  tremendous  and 
dc«ruo*dve  £  re  of  the  gunboats  here,  rendered  most  impor 

I 


QUESTION   OP   NEGRO    TROOPS   IN    THE   ARMY.         327 

taut  service.     This  victory  was  important,  as  the  fort  com 
manded  Little   Eock,  the  capital  of  Arkansas.     Generals 
Herron  and  Blunt,  in  the  interior  of  the  State,  could  now  be 
communicated  with,  and  obtain  supplies  by  the  river,  in- 
stead of  by  the  tedious  route  from  Holla. 

General  Burnside,  after  his  failure  at  Fredericksburg,  re 
questing  to  be  relieved  from  his  command,  on  the  26th  of 
January,  1862,  General  Joseph  Hooker  was  appointed  to 
succeed  him,  as  commander  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac, 
and  soon  arrived  at  Falmouth,  and  entered  upon  his  oneroua 
duties.  During  several  months,  this  great  army  remained 
inactive  in  winter  quarters,  and  required  to  be  reorganized. 
Important  changes  had  to  be  made,  and  no  movement  of 
importance  took  place  before  spring.  During  this  time, 
important  civil  and  military  events  occurred  elsewhere, 
which  shall  now  be  described. 

The  employment  of  free  negroes,  as  soldiers  in  the  army 
of  the  United  States,  was  at  this  time  much  agitated.  Many 
distinguished  Republicans,  prominent  among  whom  were 
Messrs.  Wilson  and  Sumner,  of  Massachusetts,  Stevens  and 
Kelley,  of  Pennsylvania,  and  Trumbull  and  Lovejoy,  ot 
Illinois,  formed  a  party  in  Congress  favorable  to  the  em 
ploymeut,  as  soldiers,  of  persons  of  African  descent ;  but  the 
conservative  Republicans  and  Democrats  were  opposed  to 
this  measure. 

A  bill  was  introduced  into  the  House  of  Representatives, 
on  the  28th  of  January,  to  that  effect,  but,  being  premature, 
it  was  withdrawn.  It  was  not  till  some  time  afterward 
that  it  passed  the  House,  was  confirmed  by  the  Senate,  ap- 
proved by  the  President,  and  became  a  law. 

The  stearn  corvette  Oreto,  in  the  beginning  of  January 
was  added  to  the  number  of  Confederate  cruisers.  She  waa 
built  in  Liverpool,  England,  carried  eight  heavy  guns,  and 
was  seven  hundred  and  fifty  tons  burthen.  The  pirate  Al- 
abama, on  the  17th,  fired  a  tremendous  broadside  into  the 
United  States  steamer  Hatteras,  off  Galveston.  She  was  one 
of  those  Union  steamers  which  had  escaped  on  the  capture 
of  that  place.  Being  perforated,  she  soon  sunk  to  the 
bottom,  her  officers  and  crew  being  received  on  board  the 
Alabama.  The  Brooklyn  pursued  the  pirate  on  'the  sarnft 
day,  but  she  escaped.  The  g-mboat  Calhoun,  of  General 
We;.tzel's  expedition,  grcui  ded  ii  the  Bayou  Teche. 


828  CAPTURE    OP   THE   QUEEN    OF   THE    WEST. 

Louisiana,  and  was  fired  upon  by  the  rebels,  by  whicb 
Commander  Buchanan  was  instantly  killed.  The  Union 
troops  charged  on  them,  killing  sixty,  capturing  thirty,  and 
dispersing  the  rest.  They  also  captured  and  destroyed  the 
rebel  gunboat  Cotton.  The  Confederates  had  twelve  thou- 
sand men,  and  three  pieces  of  artillery. 

Fort  Donelson,  on  the  Cumberland,  was  attacked  on  Feb 
ruary  3d,  1863,  by  a  force  of  five  thousand  Confederates, 
under  Generals  Wheeler,  Forrest,  and  Wharton.  The  fort 
was  commanded  by  Colonel  Harding,  and  had  a  garrison  of 
six  hundred  men.  The  fire  of  eight  guns  upon  the  works, 
was  briskly  responded  to  by  the  fort.  Two  demands  of 
surrender  were  refused,  and  the  Union  gunboat  Lexington 
steaming  up  rapidly,  became  a  formidable  auxiliary.  The 
rebels  were  defeated,  and  retreated  with  a  loss  of  one  hun- 
dred killed,  three  hundred  wounded,  and  one  hundred  and 
forty  prisoners,  while  the  Union  loss  was  but  sixteen  killed, 
sixty  wounded,  fifty  prisoners,  and  one  gun. 

On  the  16th  of  February,  the  Conscription  bill  passed  the 
Senate,  and  soon  after  became  a  law.  It  was  intended  to 
call  out  the  more  efficiently  the  nation's  military  strength. 

On  the  10th,  the  Federal  ram  Queen  of  the  West,  accom- 
panied by  the  De  Soto,  ran  the  batteries  of  Vicksburg.  Col- 
onel C.  K.  Ellet,  her  commander,  had  destroyed  a  large 
amount  of  rebel  property,  on  the  shores  of  the  Red  and 
Black  rivers.  On  the  14th,  the  Queen  of  the  West  was  cap- 
tured, at  Gordon's  Landing  on  the  Red  river,  by  the  treachery 
of  the  pilot,  who  ran  her  aground  under  the  guns  of  the 
enemy's  battery ;  twenty  prisoners,  and  thirty  negroes,  were 
thereby  captured.  Colonel  Ellet  and  the  rest  made  their 
escape  on  the  De  Soto,  which  was  pursued  by  the  rebel  gun- 
boat Webb.  The  crew  were  transferred  to  the  Era,  No.  5, 
and  the  De  Soto  was  burned.  On  the  appearance  of  the 
ludiauola,  the  Webb  gave  up  the  chase. 

Tli is  disaster  was  counterbalanced,  in  some  degree,  by  an 
achievement  of  Commander  J.  L.  Worden,  near  Fort  McAl- 
lister, on  the  Ogeechee  river,  Georgia.  This  happened  on 
the  27th  of  February,  and  resulted  in  the  destruction  of  the 
rebel  steamer  Nashville,  which  had  done  so  much  injury  to 
i;he  commerce  of  the  United  States.  She  had  attempted  to 
ran  the  gauntlet  of  the  Federal  vessels,  when  she  grounded. 
Being  shelled  bj  the  Union  vessels,  she  was  wrapped  in 


TIGHT  AT  THOMPSON'S  STATION,  TENNESSEE.          829 

flames,  which  discharged  one  of  her  heaviest  guns,  thus 
doing  much  damage.  The  magazine  soon  after  exploded 
and  blew  her  to  atoms  thus  perished  the  Nashville. 

A  considerable  disaster  overtook  the  Federal  arms  on  the 
ith  of  March,  1863,  at  Thompson's  Station,  near  Franklin, 
Tennessee,  in  which  Colonel  Coburn's  brigade  was  attacked 
by  Van  Dorn,  with  ten  thousand  men ;  the  attack  being 
made  both  in  front  and  flank.  After  a  desperate  fight,  the 
rebels  were  victorious.  The  battle  lasted  all  day,  ar  d  the 
infantry,  having  expended  their  ammunition,  were  eithei 
killed  or  captured,  the  cavalry  and  artillery  alone  escaping. 
The  Union  loss  was  sixty-five  killed,  two  hundred  and  fifty 
wounded,  and  one  thousand  prisoners.  The  rebel  loss  wa9 
eighteen  killed  and  four  hundred  wounded. 

The  minor  events  of  the  month  of  March,  1863,  must  not 
be  passed  over  unnoticed,  although  they  had  no  importance 
with  regard  to  the  general  issues  of  the  war.  On  the  17th, 
an  expedition  set  out  from  Murfreesboro.  It  was  com- 
manded by  Colonel  A.  S.  Hall,  and  consisted  of  the  second 
brigade  of  Reynolds'  division.  Its  object  was  to  clear  the 
surrounding  country  of  Morgan's  guerillas.  Small  bodief 
of  the  enemy  were  dispersed  at  Gainesville  and  Liberty 
At  Milton,  they  were  assembled  to  the  number  of  twenty 
five  hundred,  and  made  an  attack  on  the  centre,  and  also  at 
tempted  at  the  same  time  to  turn  each  flank  of  the  Unionists, 
but  were  met  with  such  spirit  as  made  them  recoil.  They 
were  repulsed  in  repeated  and  desperate  assaults,  and  after 
a  bloody  struggle  of  three  hours,  were  forced  to  withdraw. 
Their  reinforcements  from  Woodbury  met  the  same  fate, 
and  the  whole  force  rapidly  retreated.  The  Federals  lost 
but  ten  killed  and  thirty-five  wounded ;  the  rebel  loss  was 
forty  killed  and  one  hundred  and  fifty  wounded.  The  ter- 
ror with  which  the  guerillas  had  inspired  the  loyal  citizens 
cf  Kentucky,  was  thereby  much  diminished. 

On  the  same  day  (17th),  a  cavalry  engagement  took  place 
at  Kelly's  Ford,  on  the  Rappahannock,  between  the  Union 
troops  under  General  Averill,  and  a  body  cf  Confederates 
under  Generals  Stuart  and  Fitzhugh  Lee.  Some  time  pre- 
viously, several  thousand  rebel  cavalry  had  raided  through 
the  country,  between  the  Union  lines  at  Falmouth  and  the 
Warrento  i  road.  On  their  approach  to  Berea  church,  they 
turned  to  the  Rappahannock.  and  recrossed.  Hooker  senf 


830     AVERILL'S  CAVALRY  FIGHT  AT  KELLY'S  FCRD. 

General  Averill,  with  two  thousand  cavalry,  to  intercept 
their  retreat,  but  the  enemy  had  already  crossed,  and  held  a 
fortified  position  on  the  other  side  of  the  river ;  many  of 
them  had  dismounted,  and  were  posted  in  rifle  pits.  Averill 
crossed  the  river,  notwithstanding  the  annoyance  from  tha 
enemy's  batteries,  and  forming  his  troops  in  line  of  battle, 
charged  and  drove  the  Confederates  from  the  rifle  pits. 
These  were  evacuated,  and  the  batteries  withdrawn.  Averill 
proceeded  three  miles  up  the  river,  where  he  encountered 
the  main  body,  under  Stuart  and  Lee,  drawn  up  in  line  of 
battle.  The  Federals  advanced  boldly  to  the  charge,  and 
great  confusion  and  slaughter  took  place,  in  a  fight  desper- 
ately maintained  for  several  hours ;  artillery,  as  well  as  cav- 
alry, being  engaged  on  both  sides.  The  enemy's  infantry, 
which  came  upon  the  scene  of  conflict,  took  no  part  in  it,  as 
the  mingling  together  of  the  combatants  made  it  impossible 
to  distinguish  friend  from  foe.  The  ammunition  of  the 
Unionists  being  at  length  exhausted,  they  retreated  in  ex- 
eellent  order,  and  the  enemy  were  too  severely  handled  to 
aiolest  them.  The  Federals  lost  forty  killed  and  wounded  ; 
he  Confederates  suffered  in  a  greater  degree.  About  fifty 
prisoners  were  captured  on  each  side.  This  was  one  of  the 
most  desperate  struggles  which  took  place  with  cavalry 
during  the  war.  The  rebel  cavalry  had  been  long  organized 
as  a  body,  but  with  the  Federals,  this  important  arm  of  tlx^ 
service  had  been  hitherto  neglected.  Kilpatrick  had  indcc'l 
made  a  raid  into  Richmond,  and  brilliant  cavalry  engage- 
ments had  taken  place  in  the  West,  but  it  was  chiefly  due 
to  General  Hooker,  that  the  Union  cavalry  was  organized 
into  that  efficient  body  which  so  severely  punished  that  of 
the  enemy  in  the  bloody  combats  which  will  hereafter  be 
described. 

About  the  middle  of  March,  a  plan  of  attack  on  the  rebel 
stronghold  of  Port  Hudson  was  adopted  by  General  Banks 
and  Admiral  Farragut.  Banks  was  then  at  Baton  Eouge, 
with  a  considerable  land  force.  The  plan  agreed  on,  was  a 
simultaneous  attack  on  the  place  by  land  and  water.  After 
some  unimportant  skirmishes,  which  were  designed  to  divert 
the  enemy  from  the  attempts  of  Farragut  on  Port  Hudson, 
Banks  returned  with  his  land  forces  to  Baton  Rouge. 

At  nine  P.  M.,  on  Saturday,  the  14th  of  March,  in  tha 
bright  moonlight  *he  Federal  fleet  began  to  advance  on 


ATTACK   ON    PORT    HUDSON.  88 

Port  Hudson.  It  consisted  of  the  flag-ship  Hartford,  the 
Richmond,  Monongahela,  Kineo,  Mississippi,  Essex,  Alba- 
tross, and  Switzerland,  besides  six  mortar  boats.  Five  robe, 
gunboats  landed  troops  to  reinforce  the  place.  At  half  past 
one  o'clock,  it  was  found  by  experiment  that  the  range  was 
too  distant  to  take  effect  on  the  works,  and  signal  lights  in- 
dicated that  the  foe  was  on  the  alert.  On  the  approach  of 
the  Union  vessels,  the  rebels  kindled  an  immense  bonfire. 
in  front  of  their  fortifications,  which  effectually  brought  the 
fleet  in  view.  The  batteries  extended  nearly  four  miles, 
with  little  interval,  and  many  of  the  guns  were  of  large 
calibre.  The  batteries  in  the  centre,  were  at  the  point 
where  the  river  bends  in  the  form  of  a  horseshoe,  and  here 
four  immense  guns  were  mounted  in  casemates.  Such 
was  the  gauntlet  to  be  run  by  the  Federal  fleet.  The 
Hartford  was  followed  by  the  other  vessels,  and  all  respond- 
ing to  the  thunders  of  the  batteries,  the  banks  shook  with 
deafening  reverberations.  In  the  darkness  which  now  en- 
veloped the  scene,  and  also  from  the  winding  nature  of  the 
river  at  this  point,  it  became  impossible  to  steer  with  safety 
and  thus  there  was  danger  from  collision.  The  air  was  filled 
with  shells,  which  were  rained  upon  the  Federal  vessels ; 
earth  and  water  shook  with  the  heavy  concussions.  Tha 
centre  batteries  poured  in  a  fearful  fire,  to  which  but  a  feeble 
response  could  be  made,  as  the  guns  of  the  vessels  could 
not  be  elevated  to  the  required  height ;  only  those  from 
the  bow  and  stern  chasers  could  be  used.  In  the  narrow 
stream,  subject  to  the  dreadful  fire  of  the  foe,  the  Mississippi 
grounded,  and  had  to  be  abandoned  and  destroyed  ;  her 
crew  was  saved.  Lieutenant-commander  Curnmings,  of  tho 
Richmond,  was  mortally  wounded.  The  matchless  fortitude 
of  Farragut  was  of  no  avail.  The  Hartford  and  Albatross 
alone  succeeded  in  passing  the  baiteries ;  the  rest  were  sig 
nailed  to  withdraw,  and  steamed  down  the  stream  to  a  point 
of  safety,  west  of  Prophet's  Island.  The  Genessee  was  in- 
jured in  this  conflict,  and  the  Ki  -ieo  lost  her  rudder,  and  hei 
rigging  was  greatly  damaged.  On  board  the  Mississippi 
twenty-two  men  were  killed,  and  seven  on  the  Monongahela. 
besides  twenty-one  wounded.  In  the  battle,  which  continued 
from  half  past  nine  o'clock  p.  M.,  until  one  A.  M.  the  next 
morning,  the  total  loss  in  the  fleet  was  forty  killed,  ninety 


632       VICTORY  OF   GENERAL   QILMORE   AT   SOMERSET. 

wounded,  and  forty  missing.  The  Confederates  were  twenty 
thousand  strong. 

On  the  28th  of  March,  part  of  the  beautiful  town  of  Jack- 
sonville, Florida,  was  burned  by  Union  soldiers.  Several 
churches  were  destroyed  by  this  barbarous  act. 

On  the  30th,  there  was  a  brisk  contest  at  Somerset,  Ken- 
tucky, between  a  body  of  Federals,  commanded  by  General 
Gilmore,  and  a  considerable  rebel  force,  chiefly  cavalry, 
under  General  Pegram.  The  former  had  a  force  of  twelve 
hundred ;  the  latter,  more  than  double  that  number.  The 
fight  commenced  at  Button  Hill,  ten  miles  from  Somerset, 
aud  ended  in  the  flight  and  pursuit  of  the  rebels  to  the  latter 
place.  Here  they  made  a  stand,  but  were  defeated,  and  lost 
three  hundred  killed,  wounded,  and  prisoners,  also  two 
stands  of  colors,  and  four  hundred  cattle.  The  Federal  loss 
was  thirty  killed  and  wounded.  Thus  was  their  purpose 
of  invading  Kentucky  completely  frustrated. 

The  Congressional  Committee  on  the  Conduct  of  the  War 
rendered  its  first  report  in  April,  1863.  It  manifested  im- 
partial investigation,  and  a  desire  to  advance  the  common 
interest.  The  blunders  which  entailed  disaster  were  ex- 
posed, and  it  dealt  mainly  with  facts,  leaving  it  to  the  judg- 
ment of  others  to  form  opinions.  It  dwelt  much  on  General 
McClellan's  army  operations,  and  of  those  performed  by 
General  Patterson,  in  the  three  months'  service.  The  de- 
ductions to  be  made  from  the  statements  of  the  committee, 
were  not  in  favor  of  these  generals,  but  the  friends  and  par- 
tisans of  each  believed  that  they  could  exonerate  themselves 
satisfactorily. 

On  the  2d  of  April,  eight  regiments  of  Union  troops,  be- 
longing to  the  army  of  General  Eosecrans,  and  commanded 
by  Generals  Craft  and  Ilazen,  marched  to  Woodbury,  Ten- 
nessee, for  the  purpose  of  surprising  and  capturing  a  Con- 
federate brigade  there  posted.  The  attack  was  to  be 
made  in  front  and  flank.  The  enemy's  pickets  were 
met  by  some  cavalry  in  the  advance,  and  the  foe,  thus  fore- 
warned, escaped.  In  a  running  fight  for  three  miles,  twelve 
of  the  rebels  were  killed  or  captured.  The  Federals  gained 
possession  of  the  camp  equipage,  and  some  horses  and 
tnuJ  '8. 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

APRIL,  MAY,  1863. 

ifTACI  OH  CHARLESTON — ADMIRAL  DUPONT  SUPERSEDED — NAVAL  ACTION! 
AT  GRAND  GULF,  MISSISSIPPI,  AND  IN  THE  BAYOU  TECHE,  LOUISIANA — 
RAIDS  IN  BOTH  ARMIES — MARMADUKE's  ATTEMPT  ON  CAPE  OIRARDEAU — 
HIS  DEFEAT,  FLIGHT,  AND  PURSUIT — RAID  OF  COLONEL  STREIGHT — HIS 
HEROISM — SURRENDERS  TO  A  SUPERIOR  FORCE — GREAT  RAID  OF  COLONEL 
GRIBRSON — COLONEL  CLAYTON'S  RAID — REPELS  MARMADUKfi's  DIVISION 
WITH  TWO  HUNDRED  AND  THIRTY  MEN — SAFE  RETURN  TO  HELENA. 

CHARLESTON,  South  Carolina,  the  cradle  of  rebellion,  was 
now  again  to  be  attacked  by  an  iron-clad  fleet  such  as  for 
power  has  been  rarely  or  never  witnessed.  It  consisted  of  the 
New  Ironsides,  Commodore  Turner  commanding;  the  mon- 
itors, seven  in  number,  viz.:  the  Weehawken,  Captain  John 
Rodgers ;  the  Passaic,  Captain  P.  Drayton ;  the  Montauk, 
Captain  J.  L.  Worden ;  the  Patapsco,  Commander  D.  Ammen ; 
the  Catskill,  Commander  George  Rodgers ;  the  Nantucket, 
Commander  D.  M.  Fairfax;  the  Nahant,  Commander  J. 
Downes;  and  the  Keokuk,  Lieutenant-commander  A.  C. 
Rhind.  These,  with  a  number  of  wooden  gunboats,  and  ninety 
other  vessels  and  transports,  had  an  appointed  rendezvous 
in  the  North  Edisto  river,  during  the  latter  part  of  March, 
and  the  early  part  of  April  (1863). 

The  land  forces  were  to  disembark  on  Cole  Island,  and 
proceeding  across  to  Folly  Island,  ->ake  a  position  as  near  aa 
possible  to  Morris  Island,  in  order  to  effect  a  diversion,  and 
thus  aid  the  naval  attack.  An  exploration  disclosed  the 
fact  1  hat  none  but  iron-clads  could  be  used  in  the  attack, 
on  account  of  the  formidable  batteries,  whose  fire  would  be 
terrible.  Charleston  harbor,  about  four  miles  in  extent,  had 
be^n  rendered  so  strong  by  skilful  fortifying  for  two  years, 
as  to  be  deemed  impregnable.  On  crossing  the  bar,  at  ita 
entrance  stands  Sullivan's  Island  on  the  north,  and  Morria 
Island  on  the  south,  both  ending  in  a  long  sandy  beach,  the 
distant  points  of  each  being  a  rr  ile  apart.  Fort  Sumter,  built 
on  an  artificial  island,  is  at  ar  equal  distance  from  these  ex- 
treme points.  Sullivan's  Island  had  then  three  power fuJ 

(333) 


834  PREPARATIONS  FOR  THE  ATTACK  ON  CHARLESTON 

fortifications,  and  the  rifled  guns  of  Fort  Beauregard,  a  for 
midable  saD^  battery,  further  up  on  the  same  island,  com 
manded  the  harbor.  Not  far  from  the  point  of  the  island 
Fort  Moultrie  was  situated,  and  beyond  was  the  Redan,  wiin 
its  fifty  powerful  guns.  Still  further  on,  and  near  the  end  of 
the  harbor,  was  Castle  Pinckney.  On  the  south  side  of  the 
harbor  was  Wappoo  Battery,  which  protected  the  city  on 
the  left  side,  and  next  this,  on  an  artificial  island,  stood 
Fort  Ripley.  Below  were  Fort  Johnston  and  Battery  Bee, 
and  still  further  below,  on  Morris  Island,  was  Fort  Wagner, 
a  formidable  sand  work,  mounted  with  heavy  guns.  Thus 
twelve  great  fortifications  defended  Charleston,  all  being 
mounted  with  heavy  guns,  many  of  them  rifled,  whose  con- 
centrated fire  would  be  exceedingly  destructive. 

Admiral  Dupont  determined  to  attack  these  powerful  for- 
tifications. The  fleet,  on  the  3d  of  April,  lay  at  the  moath 
of  the  North  Edisto,  and  on  the  night  of  the  5th,  the  wind 
and  sea  calmed,  and  the  moon  shone  on  the  waves.  On 
Monday  morning,  the  7th,  Admiral  Dupont  transferred  his 
flag  to  the  New  Ironsides,  and  the  iron-clads  crossed  the 
bar.  By  nine  o'clock  A.  M.,  the  nine  vessels  had  gained  the 
main  ship  channel,  parallel  with  Morris  Island,  and  a  mile 
from  shore.  The  haze,  which  made  some  delay  inevitable, 
cleared  away  at  noon,  and,  half  an  hour  later,  the  fleet  moved 
forward  to  the  attack.  The  vessels,  on  a  signal  being  made, 
were  to  form  in  due  order,  at  a  cable's  length  distance  from 
each  other,  and  sail  up  the  main  ship  channel,  and  were  not 
to  return  the  fire  of  the  batteries  on  Morris  Island,  unless 
signalled  to  that  effect.  They  were  to  open  fire  on  Fort 
Sumter  when  within  easy  range,  and  to  take  up  a  position 
to  the  northward  and  westward  of  that  fortification,  engaging 
its  northwest  face  at  from  one  thousand  to  eight  hundred 
yards,  firing  low,  and  aiming  at  the  centre  embrasure.  Shot 
was  not  to  be  wasted,  precision,  rather  than  rapidity  of  fire, 
being  enjoined.  Each  ship  was  to  assist  vessels  requiring 
it.  The  special  code  of  signa/s,  prepared  for  the  iron-clad 
vessels,  was  to  be  used  in  the  aMion.  After  the  reduction  of 
Fort  Sumter,  the  next  point  of  attack  was  to  be  the  batteries 
on  Morris  Island.  The  order  of  battle  was  in  succession 
the  Weehawken,  Passaic,  Montauk,  Patapsco,  New  Ironsides, 
Catskill,  Nantucket,  Nahant,  and  Keokuk.  The  reserve 
squadron  consisted  of  the  Canandai  'uu,  Unadilla,  Housatomo. 


1TTACK   ON   CHARLESTON.  856 

Wissahickon,  and  Huron,  it  was  a  noble  spectacle,  and 
spoke  volumes  for  the  power  of  the  United  States.  The 
fleet  moved  on  and  came  within  range  of  the  lower  batteries 
on  Morris  Island — Fort  Wagner  and  Battery  Bee — but  not  a 
gun  was  fired.  When  within  the  range  of  Sumter,  the  im- 
mense guns  of  Fort  Wagner  and  battery  Bee  were  trained 
to  hurl  a  destructive  storm  of  deadly  bolts  upon  the  advanc 
ing  vessels. 

The  fleet  crossed  the  front  of  Morris  Island,  and  cama 
within  range  of  the  guns  of  Sumter,  and  of  the  batteries  on 
Sullivan's  and  James'  Islands.  All  their  guns,  and  those  of 
Battery  Bee,  Fort  Moultrie,  Fort  Beauregard,  and  the  Redan, 
concentrated  their  fire  on  the  Weehawken,  which,  when  the 
smoke  cleared,  appeared  unscathed.  The  northwest  front  of 
Sumter  was  to  be  attacked.  The  rebels,  to  prevent  this, 
carried  a  strong  hawser  from  the  northeast  angle  of  the  fort, 
across  the  channel  to  Fort  Moultrie,  which  hawser  was 
floating  on  casks,  and  hung  with  torpedoes,  nets  and  cables. 
If  entangled  therein,  the  vessels  would  lose  all  power  of 
motion,  and  the  torpedoes  would  disable  or  destroy  them. 
The  Weehawken  saw  the  danger,  and  kept  to  the  right;  the 
rest  followed.  There  was  another  channel  by  which  the 
northwest  face  of  the  fort  could  be  reached,  but  it  was 
blockaded  by  piles  and  torpedoes.  This  part  of  the  order 
of  attack  was  then  changed,  and  the  vessels  now  assailed  the 
strongest  side  of  the  fort.  The  New  Ironsides,  being  caught, 
became  unmanageable.  The  other  vessels  were  signalled  to 
advance  to  the  attack.  Lieutenant-commander  Ehind  ran 
the  Keokuk  within  five  hundred  yards,  and  opened  fire  upon 
the  fort.  The  Catskill  followed,  and  opened  fire  six  hundred 
yards  off.  The  Montauk,  Passaic,  Patapsco,  Nahant,  Nan- 
tucket,  and  Weehawken  were  near,  and  the  Ironsides  attacked 
Fort  Moultrie.  The  rest  fired  on  Sumter  with  such  effect  as 
to  disable  four  of  its  guns,  make  deep  indentations  in  its 
walls,  and  injure  the  parapet.  The  dreadful  storm  continued 
half  an  hour,  and  the  fort' might  have  been  made  too  hot  for 
the  enemy  in  little  further  time,  had  not  the  fire  of  the  latter 
been  too  dreadful  to  be  endured  by  the  vessels.  The  Keo- 
kuk was  in  a  sinking  state,  having  her  turrets  riddled,  her 
hull  damaged,  and  twelve  men  wounded,  including  Lieuten- 
ant-commander Rhind.  This  vessel  sunk  next  morning,  but 
the  ci  3W  were  saved.  Several  other  vessels  of  the  fleet  were 


886  ADMIRAL   DUPONT    SUPERSEDED 

much  injured.  The  loss  of  life  was  small,  being  in  all,  three 
killed ;  the  wounded  were  only  seventeen,  and  these  but 
slightly.  The  rebels  lost  about  the  same  number.  The 
battle  had  lasted  an  hour  and  a  half,  during  which  the  Con- 
federate batteries  had  thrown  one  hundred  and  sixty  shot 
per  minute,  and  in  half  an  hour  three  thousand  five  hundred 
rounds.  The  attack  was  not  renewed,  and  the  fleet  returned 
to  Port  Royal.  The  monitors  had  each  received  sixty  shots, 
.  but  were  little  injured,  and  easily  repaired.  Admiral  Du- 
pont,  who  had  so  bravely  attempted  this  attack,  was  subject 
to  censure  for  making  no  renewal  of  the  bombardment,  and 
was  superseded  in  the  command  of  the  South  Atlantic  block- 
ading squadron  by  Admiral  A.  H.  Foote. 

In  the  early  part  of  the  month  of  April,  the  Federal  gun- 
boats were  successful  in  other  operations,  on  the  Mississippi 
river  and  its  tributaries.  An  engagement  took  place,  on  the 
1st  between  Admiral  Farragut,  with  three  gunboats,  and 
the  rebel  batteries  at  Grand  Gulf,  Mississippi.  The  action 
lasted  several  hours,  and  having  passed  below,  the  admiral 
proceeded  to  the  mouth  of  the  Red  river,  destroying  all  the 
rebel  boats  in  his  way.  lie  blockaded  the  Red  river  several 
days,  and  passing  down  to  the  Bayou  Sara,  where  he  de- 
stroyed a  large  quantity  of  the  rebel  stores,  finally  anchored 
five  miles  above  the  rebel  batteries  on  Port  Hudson.  On 
the  Bayou  Teche,  Louisiana,  on  the  13th,  the  Federal  gun- 
boats Estrella,  Calhoun,  and  Arizona,  destroyed  the  rebel 
gunboats  Diana  and  Hart,  and  the  iron-clad  ram  Queen  of 
The  West.  Being  joined  next  day  by  the  Clifton,  they  cap 
lured  the  strong  fortification,  Bute  a  la  Rose,  Louisiana, 
itnd  driving  the  enemy's  gunboats  up  the  Teche,  finally  cap- 
tured or  destroyed  most  of  them. 

On  the  20th,  Marmaduke,  with  two  thousand  rebels,  and 
six  pieces  of  artillery,  attacked  four  hundred  of  the  Tenth 
Missouri  Militia  cavalry,  under  Colonel  Smart,  at  Patterson, 
twenty-five  miles  from  Pilot  Knob,  Missouri.  Colonel 
Smart,  after  destroying  such  stores  as  he  could  not  trans- 
port, fell  back  eight  miles,  losing  eleven  killed  and  twenty 
wounded.  The  enemy  lost  forty. 

The  rebels  had,  at  the  commencement,  a  larger  force  of 
cavalry  than  the  Unionists,  and  their  officers  had  become 
famous  for  their  raids  on  the  towns  of  the  North,  thereby 
destroying  frequently,  depots,  railroads,  and  bridges,  and 


MARMADUKE'S  ATTACK  ON  CAPE  GIAAUDEAU.      337 

severing  the  communications.  Ashby,  Mosby,  and  Stuart, 
each  made  several  raics  in  the  rear  of  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac,  and,  as  before  related,  the  last  at  one  time  com- 
pleted a  circuit  of  the  Federal  forces  in  the  Peninsula. 
Guerilla  bands  depredated  on  the  people,  and  often  com- 
mitted atrocious  murders,  particularly  in  the  West,  where 
freebooters,  ruffians,  and  murderers  committed  the  greatest 
outrages.  To  this  class  belonged  the  notorious  Quantrell  and 
his  band,  and  also  those  of  Jeff.  Thompson  and  Marmaduke. 

The  cavalry  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  was  consolidated 
into  a  body  by  Hooker,  and  General  Stoneman  was  placed 
at  its  head,  with  such  officers  as  Pleasanton,  Buford,  Kilpat- 
rick,  and  Averill,  in  the  East ;  while  in  the  West,  the 
names  of  Carter,  Stanley,  Grierson,  Clayton,  and  Wilson 
were  conspicuous.  Each  of  these  gallant  commanders  was 
able  to  defeat  the  rebel  cavalry  leaders  in  a  fair  field,  but 
the  most  renowned  of  all  was  Sheridan,  who  also  had  usually 
an  infantry  force  under  his  command. 

Marmaduke's  raid  was  made  in  order  to  regain  a  foothold 
in  Missouri.  General  Sterling  Price  cast  a  wistful  eye  on 
the  fair  fields  of  that  State,  and  collected  a  large  body  of 
rebels,  the  command  of  which  he  entrusted  to  Marmaduke. 
The  ammunition  and  stores  belonging  to  the  United  States 
at  Cape  Girardeau,  was  a  coveted  object,  as  well  as  the  hope 
of  capturing  St.  Louis.  There  was  at  Frederickstown,  on 
the  road  to  Cape  Girardeau,  a  large  quantity  of  stores, 
guarded  by  Lieutenant-colonel  Baumer,  with  five  hundred 
men.  General  McNeil  was  at  Bloomfield,  with  twelve 
hundred  men  and  six  field  pieces,  and  started  to  encounter 
Marmaduke  at  Fredericktown  but  on  the  way  becoming  Con- 
vinced that  the  latter  would  attack  Cape  Girardeau,  he 
marched  rapidly  on  th  23d  of  April,  arriving  the^e  the 
next  day.  He  sent  to  St.  Louis  for  reinforcements  and  gun- 
boats, as  his  force  amounted  to  but  seventeen  hundred  men, 
and  sixteen  guns  of  various  sizes.  The  town  was  but  badly 
defended,  and  Marmaduke  arrived  before  it  on  the  26th  of 
April,  with  his  ten  thousand  troops.  McNeil  placed  his 
artillery  in  a  good  position,  arranged  his  sharpshooters  ad- 
vantageously, and  then  awaited  the  enemy's  attack.  At  the 
distance  of  four  hundred  yards,  such  a  destructive  fire  as- 
Bailed  the  rebels,  that  they  fell  back  and  retreated  beyond 
range.  Reinforcements  arrived  from  St.  Louis,  and  General 
29 


388  HIS   DEFEAT,   FLIGHT,  AND   PURSUIT. 

McNeil,  having  had  all  the  stores  transported  into  Illinois, 
and  the  wom<}n  and  children  sent  away,  determined  to  de- 
fend the  town.  A  demand  of  surrender  was  made,  but 
refused  promptly,  and  on  the  next  day  the  rebels  opened 
fire  on  the  town,  and  an  unconditional  surrender  of  the  forces, 
government  property,  and  fortifications  of  the  place  waa 
again  demanded.  McNeil  ordered  the  firing  to  proceed,  and 
answered  that  he  would  defend  the  town  to  the  last  extrem- 
ity. A  brisk  action  resulted,  and  ended  with  the  retreat  of 
Marmaduke,  with  heavy  loss,  finally  pursued  by  McNeil 
The  wearied  troops  of  the  latter  having  reached  White- 
water, found  the  bridge  destroyed,  and  having  repaired  it, 
and  moved  on  ten  miles,  the  order  came  from  General  Van- 
dever,  who  was  superior  in  command  to  McNeil,  to  halt 
The  pursuit  was  continued,  however,  but  when  within  three 
miles  of  the  enemy,  McNeil  was  again  ordered  to  halt,  and 
thus  matters  proceeded  for  three  days,  when  the  enemy 
being  almost  reached,  General  Vandever  peremptorily  order- 
ed a  halt.  Thus  Marmaduke  escaped  into  Arkansas  with 
his  artillery,  and  less  chastisement  than  he  merited. 

General  Rosecrans,  in  order  to  ascertain  the  state  of  rebel 
affairs  in  northern  Georgia,  cut  off  Bragg's  communications 
at  Tullahoma,  and  destroy  the  Bound  Mountain  iron  works, 
which  furnished  the  enemy  with  cannon,  sent  out  Colonel 
A.  D.  Streight,  with  two  companies  of  Tennessee  cavalry, 
and  four  regiments  of  infantry.  Being  badly  mounted,  and 
some  of  the  members  obliged  to  march  on  foot,  they  did  not 
reach  Tuscumbia,  Alabama,  until  the  24th.  On  the  28th, 
they  finally  reached  Moulton,  and  found  that  the  rebels 
were  advancing  under  Colonel  Roddy. 

Reaching  Day's  Gap  on  the  evening  of  the  29th,  they 
rested  there  for  the  night,  and  as  they  were  leaving  camp, 
on  the  morning  of  the  80th,  the  enemy  opened  on  their  rear- 
guard with  two  field  pieces.  Colonel  Streight  dismounted 
his  men,  and  ordered  them  to  reserve  their  fire  until  the 
enemy  came  within  close  range.  Two  small  pieces  of  artil- 
lery were  brought  to  bear  on  their  advancing  columns,  and 
then  a  charge  was  made  upon  them,  killing  and  wounding 
seventy-five  of  their  number,  and  capturing  two  field  pieces, 
and  a  large  number  of  horses.  The  Federal  loss  was  one 
killed  and  twenty  wounded.  As  Colonel  Streight  was  cross- 
ing  a  sraall  cieek.  the  -ebels,  reinforced  and  now  thre« 


RAID   OF   COLONEL  STREIGHT-  -HIS   SURRENDER.      339 

thousand  strong,  attacked  him.  Forming  in  line  of  battle^ 
he  at  first  repulsed  them  with  heavy  loss,  but  the  enemy,  by 
an  attack  on  the  flanks,  compelled  the  centre  to  fall  back, 
and  recaptured  the  two  pieces,  which  fortunately  had  been 
spiked.  The  Federals  fell  back  a  short  distance,  and  in- 
flicted severe  loss  on  the  enemy.  Night  ended  the  strife, 
and  Streight,  moving  on,  arrived  at  noon  at  Blountville,  on 
the  Locust  fork  of  the  Black  Warrior. 

On  May  1st,  the  fatigued  soldiers  and  animals,  stopping 
two  hours  to  rest,  fresh  rations  and  ammunition  were  dis- 
tributed, and  all  the  wagons  destroyed  except  one.  The 
enemy  harassed  the  rear,  at  three  P.  M.,  and  -were  repulsed, 
The  Unionists  moved  on  till  midnight,  and  then  reste'd  until 
day  appeared.  Gadsden,  on  the  Coosa,  was  passed,  and 
here  the  troops  were  disappointed  in  not  finding  a  steamer, 
on  which  a  small  force  was  to  have  been  sent  to  Rome, 
Georgia,  which  should  hold  the  place  till  the  brigade  should 
arrive.  After  several  skirmishes,  in  one  of  which  Colonel 
Hathaway  was  killed,  the  foe  was  repelled. 

Colonel  Streight  sent  two  hundred  men,  under  Captain 
Russel,  to  take  and  hold  Rome  till  the  arrival  of  the  main 
body.  The  delay  which  occurred  in  ferrying  a  stream, 
caused  the  detachment  to  arrive  after  the  bridge  over  the 
Coosa  had  been  destroyed.  The  town  being  found  to  be 
protected  by  a  large  rebel  force,  with  four  cannon,  the  de- 
tachment returned  to  the  main  body.  Colonel  Streight, 
meantime,  checked  the  enemy  at  Blount's  farm,  till  late  in 
the  evening,  and  had  sent  the  pack  mules,  and  part  of  his 
command,  to  cross  two  tributaries  of  the  Coosa.  The  am- 
munition was  wet,  and  rendered  useless.  The  Round 
Mountain  iron- works  were  destroyed,  and  a  bridge  burned 
after  the  forces  had  crossed.  A  halt  was  made  at  Cedar's 
Blufls,  whereupon  the  enemy  assailed  the  rear-guard,  when 
the  line  of  battle  was  formed,  a  flag  of  truce  came  in,  and  a 
uurrender  was  demanded.  General  Forrest,  it  was  asserted 
by  the  officer  who  bore  the  flag,  had  surrounded  Streight 
with  fivo  thousand  men,  and  artillery.  As  his  ammunition 
was  ruined,  and  his  men  exhausted,  there  was  no  way  of 
escape,  and  Streight  finally  surrendered  one  hunirel  and 
one  officers,  and  one  thousand  three  hundred  and  sixty-live 
of  the  rank  and  file.  The  rebels  lost  five  hundred  killed 
and  wounded  during  this  raid,  and  the  Federals  twelve 


340  GREAT    RAID    OP  COLONEL    GRIERSON1. 

killed  and  sixty-nine  wounded.  The  prisoners  were  sent 
to  Kichmond,  and  the  men  soon  afterward  exchanged,  but 
the  officers  were  retained,  and  treated  with  great  indignity 

In  the  operations  of  General  Grant,  he  changed  the  scene 
of  his  attack  on  Vicksburg  to  the  region  below  the  city.  It 
was  found  necessary  to  break  the  railroad  communications 
of  the  enemy,  and  make  an  expedition  into  Mississippi,  in 
order  to  destroy  the  Mobile  and  Ohio,  the  New  Orleans  and 
Jackson,  and  the  Meridian  and  Vicksburg  railroads.  For 
this  purpose,  he  sent  Colonel  B.  H.  Grierson,  with  the  first 
cavalry  brigade  and  the  Second  Iowa  cavalry,  with  orders 
to  capture  and  destroy  any  supplies  found  on  the  route. 
The  force  with  which  this  great  raid  was  made,  consisted  of 
sicked  men,  well  mounted. 

The  expedition  left  Lagrange,  Tennessee,  on  the  17th  of 
April,  and  marched  to  Ripley,  Mississippi,  from  which 
Jolonel  Hatch  was  sent,  with  the  Second  Iowa,  to  the  east 
and  south,  across  the  Tallahatchie,  to  New  Albany.  This 
was  done,  and  the  regiment  joined  the  main  body  at  the 
latter  place.  Regiments  and  detachments  scoured  the  sur- 
rounding country,  and  captured  many  horses,  which  wewe 
sent  back  to  Lagrange.  Colonel  Hatch's  command  was  sent, 
on  the  21st,  to  the  east,  from  Clear  Springs,  to  proceed  to- 
ward Columbus,  and  destroy  the  Mobile  and  Ohio  railroad. 
They  encountered  and  repulsed  a  rebel  force  of  eight  hundred 
cavalry,  between  Houston  and  Columbus,  and  striking 
north,  passed  a  swamp,  swam  a  creek,  and  entering  Okalona, 
destroyed  the  depots,  barracks,  stores,  and  the  railroad ; 
then  proceeding  northward,  they  reached  La  Grange. 
Meanwhile,  Colonel  Grierson,  with  the  Sixth  and  Seventh 
Illinois,  proceeded  southward,  and  on  the  night  of  the  21st, 
camped  at  Starkville.  On  the  next  morning,  he  sent  Cap- 
tain Forbes,  with  a  small  detachment,  to  destroy  the  Mobile 
and  Ohio  railroad,  and  the  telegraph  between  Okalona  and 
Macon,  and  advance  as  near  the  latter  place  as  possible. 
Should  he  find  a  force  in  Macon,  he  was  instructed  to  cross 
the  Okanuxubee  river,  and  take  the  shortest  route  toward  De 
catur.  A  force  was  discovered  issuing  from  Macon,  which 
he  followed  until  it  reached  Enterprise,  where  three  thousand 
rebels  were  seen  landing  from  the  railway  train.  Bearing 
a  flag  of  truce,  h }  rode  up  and  boldly  demanded  their  imme- 
diate surrender  in  the  name  of  his  commander,  Colons/ 


GREAT   RAID   OF   COLONEL   GRIERSON.  841 

Grierson.  Colonel  Goodwin,  the  rebel  chief,  asked  an  koui 
co  consider,  and  inquired  where  Captain  Forbes  could,  on 
its  expiration,  be  found.  He  was  informed  by  the  latter, 
that  he  would  bear  the  answer  back  to  the  reserves,  and 
having  thus  escaped,  he  had  no  desire  to  return  to  the  rebel 
commander.  Other  detachments  went  out,  and  destroyed 
rebel  property,  while  Colonel  Grierson  was  marching  tc 
within  ten  miles  of  Louisville,  through  the  swamps,  in 
which  twenty  horses  were  lost.  The  Pearl  river,  near  Phil- 
adelphia, was  crossed  on  the  23d,  and  Lieutenant-colonel 
Blackburn  was  sent  to  Decatur,  with  two  hundred  men.  At 
Newton  Station,  on  the  Yicksburg  and  Meridian  railroad 
the  rest  of  the  command  having  arrived,  they  captured  two 
locomotives,  two  trains  of  cars,  and  seventy-five  prisoners, 
besides  destroying  the  bridges  and  trestle-work  for  six 
miles,  and  a  large  quantity  of  commissary  stores  and  ammu- 
nition. The  forces  reached  and  encamped  on  a  plantation 
twelve  miles  from  Newton,  and  on  the  26th  and  27th, 
moved  to  Westville,  through  Ealeigh  and  Millhaven,  on 
their  route  to  the  Mississippi  and  Jackson  railroad.  Colonel 
Price  was  sent  out  on  the  27th,  with  two  hundred  men,  to 
Hazlehurst,  to  sever  the  telegraph,  in  which  he  succeeded ; 
a  train  of  ammunition  cars  was  here  also  destroyed. 

In  the  meantime,  the  main  body  moved  to  Gallatin  and 
encamped.  On  the  route,  Grierson  captured  a  thirty -two 
pounder  rifled  Parrottgun,  and  fourteen  hundred  rounds  of 
ammunition. 

On  the  28th,  four  companies  went  to  Bahala,  near  Hazle' 
hurst,  and  destroyed  the  New  Orleans  and  Jackson  railroad. 
The  first  skirmish  on  the  raid  took  place  here,  and  resulted 
in  the  capture  of  thirty-four  rebels.  On  this  day,  the  Sev 
enth  Illinois  charged  into  Brookhaven,  on  the  New  Orleans 
and  Jackson  railroad,  and  destroyed  the  despot,  cars,  and 
bridges,  with  much  of  the  Confederate  government  property  • 
at  Simmit,  eleven  miles  below,  the  bridges  and  railway  cars 
shared  the  same  fate.  In  attempting  to  cross  a  bridge  over 
the  Amitie  river,  on  the  1st  of  May,  Lieutenant-colonel 
Blackburn  received  a  severe  wound  from  the  enemy,  who 
were  posted  in  ambush.  Ilaving  dispersed  them,  the  column 
crossed  the  river,  and  on  the  2d  burned  a  rebel  camp,  and 
captured  forty-two  prisoners.  At  noon  the  column  entered 
Baton  Kouge.  This  successful  raid  was  made  in  fifteen  days 


J42  COLONEL  CLAYTON'S  RAID. 

Every  railroad  in  Mississippi  had  been  cut,  the  enemy's  com- 
munication with  Vicksburg  completely  severed,  five  hundred 
prisoners  paroled,  three  hundred  negroes  freed,  and  many 
good  horses  captured ;  and  all  this  was  accomplished  with  a 
Federal  loss  of  only  seven  wounded. 

Reports,  early  in  May,  had  reached  General  Prentiss,  at 
Helena,  Arkansas,  of  an  intended  attack  on  that  place  by  tho 
combined  forces  of  Generals  Sterling  Price  and  Marmaduke; 
whereupon  he  determined  on  a  reconnoissance  of  the  enemy's 
position,  a  dispersion  of  the  guerilla  band  of  Colonel  Dob- 
bins, and  a  destruction  of  the  rebel  supplies  between  the 
White  and  the  St.  Francis  rivers.  On  the  6th  of  May,  there- 
fore, he  instructed  Colonel  Clayton,  of  the  Fifth  Illinois  cav- 
alry, with  a  brigade  consisting  of  his  own  command,  the 
First  Indiana  cavalry,  a  section  of  Ilayden's  Dubuque  bat- 
tery, a  detachment  of  the  Third  Iowa  cavalry,  and  one  thou- 
sand infantry  under  Colonel  Rice,  to  scour  the  country  be- 
tween the  two  rivers  before  named.  Colonel  Clayton  de- 
spatched Colonel  Rice,  with  the  Indiana  troops  and  the  artil- 
lery, to  move  on  the  Cotton  road,  and  reconnoitre  its  vicinity. 
The  time  which  would  be  required  to  construct  a  road  for 
javalry  and  artillery  in  passing  a  swamp,  after  bridging  the 
Bayou  de  Vue,  would  be  a  tedious  operation,  and  having 
found  that  no  rebels  were  at  Cotton  Plant,  Colonel  Rice 
took  the  route  to  Mariana,  to  return  and  meet  Dobbin,  who 
was  said  to  be  in  that  neighborhood.  In  the  meantime,  Col- 
onel Clayton,  with  one  thousand  one  hundred  men,  waa 
moving  on  toward  Clarendon,  at  which  place  he  was  in- 
formed that  General  Price  was  within  fifty  miles,  between 
the  Arkansas  and  White  rivers,  with  a  force  of  three  brigades, 
and  some  field  pieces.  Colonel  Clayton  took  the  military 
road  leading  to  Memphis,  and  proceeded  north  toward  L'Aug- 
ville  river,  protecting  the  bridge  across  the  river,  in  case  a 
retreat  should  make  a  passage  over  it  necessary.  Lieutenant- 
colonel  Jenkins  was  sent  to  ascertain  Dobbin's  position,  and 
found,  on  reaching  Taylor's  creek,  that  he  had  crossed  the 
river  L' Augville  at  Hughes'  Ferry  in  the  afternoon,  and  must 
be  near.  Being  informed  that  Marmaduke  was  but  tweity- 
five  miles  off,  he  sent  to  acquaint  Colonel  Clayton.  Re  had 
previously  sent  another  messenger  to  say  that  Dobbins  waa 
at  Hughes'  Ferry,  with  five  hundred  men,  and  received  orders 
from  Clayton  to  move  on  him  *t  daylight,  being  promised 


REPELS  MVRMADUKE'S  DIVISION.  84& 

the  assistance  of  Claytt  n.  The  latter,  on  receiving  the  sec- 
ond message,  moved  on  Marmaduke,  without  acquainting 
Colonel  Jenkins  of  this  change  in  his  plan.  Clayton,  at  this 
time  had  with  him  only  two  hundred  and  thirty  men,  forty 
of  whom  were  detailed  to  guard  the  bridge.  Marmaduke 
had  four  brigades,  and  his  advance  consisted  of  one  brigade. 
Colonel  Clayton  had  a  brisk  engagement  with  the  enemy  ai 
Taylor's  creek  village,  out  of  which  he  drove  them,  and  pur 
sued  them  into  the  adjacent  woods,  where  they  took  up  an 
excellent  position,  but  after  another  fight,  of  an  hour's  dura 
tion,  they  again  fled  in  confusion.  Some  of  them  retreated 
in  the  direction  of  the  bridge,  to  secure  which,  and  leave  a 
way  for  his  return,  Clayton  formed  his  men  in  column,  and 
marched  toward  it.  The  troops  who  had  been  left  to  guard 
the  bridge,  had  prevented  the  advance  of  the  enemy  from 
burning  it.  Colonel  Clayton  had  scarcely  drawn  up  his  men 
when  Marmaduke  opened  fire  on  him  with  artillery  and 
musketry,  but  the  latter  was  quickly  routed,  and  then  fell 
back  to  the  woods.  Clayton,  concealing  his  weakness  from 
»he  fr~  _^de  no  pursuit,  and,  as  it  was  probable  that  Jenkinp 
WOEA!  come  up  to  the  bridge,  he  there  remained.  In  the 
evening,  he  was  informed  of  two  routes  by  which  the  enemy 
could  cross  Taylor's  creek  in  his  rear.  lie  remained  till 
eight  o'clock  P.  M.,  and  having  kindled  the  camp  fires,  and 
stationed  the  pickets  in  front,  as  a  stratagem,  he  silently 
took  up  his  line  of  march  for  Helena. 

Meanwhile,  Colonel  Jenkins  started  for  the  bridge  on  the 
llth,  at  daylight,  and  soon  after  encountered  the  enemy. 
Reaching  a  good  position,  Jenkins  ordered  his  men  to  re- 
serve their  fire  till  the ^Confederates  were  within  forty  yards. 
Infantry  and  cavalry  came  on,  and  received  such  a  tremen 
ious  volley,  that  their  ranks  wavered  and  broke,  and  they 
ded  in  wild  dismay  to  the  woods.  In  twenty  minutes,  Col- 
onel Carter,  with  the  Texan  rangers,  rode  forward  in  a  despe 
rate  assault  on  the  Union  lines  ;  but  he  soon  fell  wounded,  as 
did  most  of  his  line  officers,  by  the  deadly  fire  which  swept 
down  their  ranks.  The  enemy  tried  a  third  cavalry  charge, 
but  dared  not  approach  closely.  The  Fifth  K  \nsas  had 
done  all  the  fighting  thus  far,  on  the  Federal  side,  and  now 
the  Fifth  Illinois  came  up,  amid  loud  cheering.  Carter's 
Confederate  brigade,  sixteen  hundred  strong,  had  taken  up  a 
position  bejond  musket  range,  and  now  began  to  aheil  tht 


544  SAFE   RETURN    TO   HELENA. 

Union  lines.  Darkness  shrouded  the  scene,  and  finding 
that  the  enemy  could  r^ach  his  rear  by  two  roads,  Clayton 
consulted  with  his  officers,  and  determined  to  cross  L'Aug- 
ville  river  at  Hughes'  Ferry.  He  did  so  in  safety,  and  on 
the  12th  of  May  reached  Helena.  The  Union  loss  in  this 
expedition  was  only  t\VD  killed  and  forty  wounded,  while 
that  of  the  rebels  was  fifty  killed  and  one  hundred  wounded, 
including  one  colonel,  four  captains,  and  five  lieutenants.  In 
me  end  of  April,  and  beginning  of  May,  the  rebel  cavalry 
raided  frequently,  under  Imboden,  Jenkins,  Harper,  and 
Jones,  in  Western  Virginia,  on  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  rail- 
road, at  Piedmont,  Cranberry,  Oakland,  Eowlesburg,  and 
Altamont.  These  raids  were  very  annoying,  and  on  both 
si^es  interrupted  communications. 

Greater  events,  however,  now  claim  our  attention.  Tha 
mighty  armies  are  again  confronting,  and  another  field  of 
ilaughter,  the  scene  of  a  great  conflict,  one  which  carried 
desolation  to  many  hearths,  is  about  to  be  described. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

MAT,   1863. 
»scsaANi2ATitN  OF  THB  ARMY  OF  THX  POTOMAC — ezx 

CONCHNTRAT2I>    AT    CHANC2LLORSVILLE — LEE's    COUNTER-PLOT — ATTAOi 
BY    STCNEWALI,    JACKSON  ON  THB    RIGHT   WING — PANIC    AND    FLIGHT  Ol 
THE  ELEVENTH  CCRPS — ENEMY  CHECKED    BY  BERRY'S    DIVISION — BATTI 
OF  TFB  WILDERNESS — JACKSON  MORTALLY  WOUNDED — HOOKER    REFORM 
HIS    LINES — BATTLS    OF    CHANCELLORS VILLE — HOOKER    AGAIN    CHANGES 
HIS  LINES — BATTLE    AT  FREDERICKSBURQ    OF  THE    SIXTH    CORPS — 8EDG- 

WICK  CROSSES  THE  RIVER THE     RETREAT  OF  HOOKER     ACROSS  THK  RAP- 

PAHANNOCK — HIS  ADDRESS  TO  THE  ARMY — THE  TROOPS  RETURN  TO  THEIK 
•D  CAMPS. 

WHEN  General  Hooker  assumed  command  of  the  Army 
*'  the  Potomac,  he  increased  its  efficiency  by  the  dismissal 
af  incompetent  officers,  the  reduction  of  transportation 
trains,  and  the  consolidation  of  the  cavalry  into  one  body. 
When  the  army  was  in  a  proper  condition,  he  determined 
to  hurl  it  upon  the  foe,  and  having  carefully  studied 
the  topography  of  the  country,  perfected  a  plan,  which, 
as  yet,  was  not  divulged  even  to  his  corps  commanders. 

A  large  but  secret  cavalry  expedition,  with  Stoneman  in 
command,  and  Averill  and  Kilpatrick  as  subordinates,  was 
sent  out  on  the  27th  of  April.  On  the  previous  day,  orders 
had  been  issued  to  the  army,  to  be  ready  to  break  up  camp 
on  the  day  following,  and  march  with  eight  day's  cooked 
rations. 

The  army  moved  on  the  morning  of  the  27th.  Three 
corps,  the  First,  Third,  and  Sixth,  under  Generals  Reynolds, 
Sickles,  and  Sedgwick,  respectively,  were  moved,  Monday 
evening,  to  a  point  on  the  banks  of  the  Rappahannock,  two 
miles  below  Fredericksburg.  The  Fifth  and  Twelfth  corps, 
under  Generals  Meade  and  Slocum,  respectively,  moved  at 
the  same  time,  up  the  north  bank  of  the  Rappahannock, 
and  camped  near  Banks'  and  United  States  fords,  the  former 
being  eight,  and  the  latter  eleven  miles  from  Fredericks-- 
burg. The  Eleventh  corps,  under  General  0.  0.  Howard, 
iaken  the  same  direction  on  the  night  of  the  26th,  an<? 

(346} 


140      ADVANCE   OF  HOOKER  TO   CHANC-ELLORSVILLfc. 

the  Second  corps,  under  General  Couch,  still  remained  u 
camp. 

On  Tuesday,  April  28th,  the  boats  were  taken  from  the 
pontoon  train,  and  carried  Russell's  brigade,  of  the  Sixth 
corps  across  the  river,  the  movement  being  favorably  veiled 
by  a  dense  fog.  These  troops  drove  the  rebel  sharpshooters 
from  the  rifle-pit^  and  aided  in  laying  the  pontoons,  over 
which  the  whole  of  Brooks'  division  crossed,  early  in  thi 
day.  General  Sickles'  Third  corps  had  been  sent  back,  end 
proceeded  up  the  river.  General  Eeynolda'  corps,  ID  at- 
tempting to  cross,  was  fired  on  by  sharpshooters,  but  suc- 
ceeded, after  some  delay,  and  by  the  aid  of  the  batteries  on 
the  Falmouth  side.  The  rebel  forces  below,  were  drawn  to 
Fredericksburg,  by  the  ostentatious  display  of  Reynolds1 
and  Sedgwick's  corps,  marching  and  counter-marching,  with 
all  their  artillery.  This  stratagem  succeeded.  Howard's 
and  Slocum's  corps  moved  twelve  miles  to  the  south,  and 
crossed  by  wading  the  Rapidan  at  Germania  ford,  and 
Meade's  corps  crossed  at  Ely's  ford.  These  three  corps  then 
advanced  to  Chancellorsville,  a  village  consisting  of  but  one 
house,  at  the  point  where  the  Gordonsville  turnpike  and 
the  Orange  Court  House  plank  road  intersect. 

A  squadron  of  Pleasonton's  cavalry  kept  up  communica 
lion  between  the  advancing  columns,  and  a  squadron  also 
protected  Howard's  left  flank.  The  rebels  had  thrown  up 
strong  intreuchments  at  United  States  ford,  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Rapidan,  twelve  miles  from  Fredericksburg,  which  they 
abandoned  on  the  approach  of  the  Union  troops,  and  Couch's 
corps  crossed  on  bridges,  unmolested.  Four  army  corps 
were  now  concentrating  at  Chancellorsville,  where  Hooker 
established  his  head -quarters. 

A  column  of  one  hundred  thousand  men,  each  man  carrj 
ing  sixty  pounds  of  baggage,  and  marching  thirtj-six  miles 
in  two  days,  had  crossed,  after  bridging  two  streams,  and 
baffled  a  wily  and  desperate  foe.  Lee's  flank  was  turned,  and 
Hooker  announced  to  the  army,  on  the  30th  of  April,  that 
the  Confederates  must  either  ingkiiously  fly,  or  come  out 
from  behind  their  defences  and  give  the  (Jnion  forces  battle 
on  their  own  ground,  where  certain  destruction  awaited 
them.  And  indeed,  such  a  result  seeme4  inevitable.  The 
Union  army  V  as  now  massed  in  the  rear  of  the  rebel  batter 
iea,  which  bristled  on  th&  Rappahannock.  The  foe  must 


''STONEWALL"  JACKSON  AKACJKS  THE  RIGHT  WING.  347 


•ither  retreat  south,  along  the  line  of  the  railroad  to  Rich- 
mond, or  fight  Hooker  on  his  own  ground.  The  way  to 
Gordonsville  was  in  possession  of  the  Federals,  and  Stone- 
man,  with  three  thousand  selected  cavalry,  had  gone  to  cut 
off  the  enemy's  communication. 

The  Confederate  force  was  me  hundred  thousand  men, 
having  been  augmented  recently  by  troops  from  Charleston 
and  by  the  division  of  Hill,  which  had  but  a  few  days  before 
been  operating  near  Suffolk.  Longstreet's  division,  which, 
after  a  twenty-four  days'  siege  of  the  latter  place,  was  re- 
called to  Chancellors  ville,  was  not  up  in  time  for  the  battle. 

The  Chancellorsville  house,  which  stands  in  a  small  clear- 
ing of  a  few  acres,  is  a  two-story  brick  mansion,  and  became 
Hooker's  head-quarters.  The  piazza  on  the  south  has  a 
view  on  a  turnpike  road  a  considerable  distance,  to  Scott'a 
creek  ;  and  the  Orange  and  Fredericksburg  plank  road  runs 
sn  front,  through  the  middle  of  the  clearing.  The  army  of 
Hooker  was  stationed  south  of,  and  almost  parallel  to,  thia 
road,  which  runs  from  east  to  west.  Two  miles  from  head- 
quarters, and  on  this  road,  the  Eleventh  corps  was  stationed, 
ind  formed  the  extreme  right  of  the  Union  line. 

There  was  skirmishing  on  Friday,  the  1st  of  May, 
During  the  whole  night,  both  armies  were  busy  fortifying, 
constructing  abatis,  and  throwing  up  intrenchments.  The 
enemy  had  left  Fredericksburg,  and  massed  at  Chancellors- 
ville. In  continual  skirmishes,  by  day  and  night,  consider 
able  life  was  lost.  In  one  of  these  struggles,  Colonel  Mc- 
Vickar,  of  the  Sixth  New  York  cavalry,  a  brave  man  and 
true  Christian  soldier,  lost  his  life. 

All  day  on  Saturday,  (2d),  the  rebels  were  massing  along 
the  plank  road  from  Fredericksburg.  When  near  Chancel- 
lorsviile,  they  made  a  detour,  through  woods  and  behind 
hills,  in  order  to  hurl  their  whole  force  against  Howard,  on 
the  right  wing.  Lee  had  sent  Stonewall  Jackson,  with 
thirty  thousand  men,  to  attack  this  corps,  which  contained 
raly  nine  thousand  —  fearful  odds  I 

General  Howard  was  conversing  at  his  head-quarters, 
when  he  heard  a  heavy  gun  from  the  southwest,  succeeded 
by  musketry.  He  galloped  up,  and  was  met  by  a  panic 
stricken  crowd  of  fugitives.  General  Deven's  brigade,  com- 
posed o:'  the  Sixty-eighth  and  Forty-first  New  Jersey  regi- 
ments, principally1  Germans,  bore  the  first  shock.  The  rebel 


848        PANIC   AND   FLIGHT   OF   THE   ELEVENTH   CORPS. 

line  was  long  enough  to  overlap  the  Union  line  on  the  right 
and  sweep  it  in  flank  and  rear  with  a  scathing  fire  of  mus- 
ketry and  artillery.  The  first  division  had  given  way;  and 
the  noblest  efforts  of  the  brave  Howard  and  his  officers 
could  not  arrest  the  panic,  or  stem  the  tide  of  fugitives  roll 
ag  over  the  field. 

The  whole  plan  of  Hooker  was  changed  in  one  half  hour 
fhe  hopes  of  the  mighty  were  laid  low,  and  the  arm} 
which  he  confidently  expected  by  one  bold  stroke  of  strategy 
to  overthrow,  vras  threatening  his  own  with  destruction,  and 
sweeping  his  legions  before  it  like  the  roar  and  rush  of  a  whirl- 
wind. But  the  mighty  spirit  of  Hooker  was  prepared  for  such 
an  unexpected  emergency.  As  Rosecrans,  at  the  battle  of 
Murfreesboro,  so  Hooker  now  rode  to  the  front,  unappalled  in 
danger's  hour.  His  comprehensive  mind  took  in  the  situa- 
tion at  a  glance.  Fortunately,  General  Berry,  in  command 
of  his  (Hooker's)  own  old  division,  was  at  hand.  He  knew 
the  man  with  whom  to  entrust  the  destinies  of  the  army,  and 
perhaps  of  the  Republic,  at  this  crisis,  as  he  ordered :  "Gen- 
eral Berry,  throw  your  men  into  the  breach.  Don't  fire  a 
shot.  Receive  the  rebels  on  the  bayonet."  The  disciplined 
troops,  with  steady  ranks,  moved  forward,  with  their  brist- 
ling bayonets,  to  the  charge.  The  head  of  the  rebel  columns 
went  down  before  the  dreadful  shock,  and  the  advance  was 
checked.  Generals  Williams  and  Sickles,  at  the  same  time, 
threw  themselves  in  the  path  of  the  fugitives.  Wagons,  am- 
bulances, men,  horses,  guns,  and  caissons  were  all  struggling 
in  a  confused  mass,  into  which  the  enemy  hurled  their  de- 
structive bolts.  Sickles  found  his  way  to  a  stone  wall,  over 
which  horses  were  tumbling,  with  their  riders.  Here  he 
took  his  stand  beside  a  gateway,  where,  drawing  his  sword, 
and  with  pistol  raised,  he  threatened  instant  death  to  the  dri- 
vers of  th3  artillery,  unless  they  stopped.  The  pieces  wer? 
unlimbered,  and  turned  against  the  fugitives,  ard  the  men 
were  rallied,  and  came  to  order.  Pleasonton  hiiiKelf  tcok 
the  artillery  in  charge,  and  formed  it  into  a  battery,  which 
was  supported  by  his  cavalry.  The  rebels,  pressed  tack  by 
the  charge  of  Berry's  division,  were  now  cannonaded  by  forty 
pieces  of  artillery.  It  was  about  I  he  time  that  the  enemy 
sustained  this  check,  and  when  preparing  for  another  attack, 
that  '  Stonewall "  Jackson  was  wounded  severely  in  the  arm, 
oear  tne  shoulder,  in  mistake  by  his  own  men.  He  fell  from 


StfEMY  CHECKED  BY  BERRY'S  DIVISION. 

his  horse,  and  was  carried  on  a  litter,  of  which  the  bearers 
were  shol.  down  by  the  artillery.  ,  Jackson  died  on  May  10th, 
of  his  injaries,  and  of  pneumonia,  partly  induced  by  them. 
His  loss  was  a  terrible  blow  4.o  the  Confederates.  He  had  de- 
termined in  an  hour  to  cut  ;ff  Hooker  from  his  pontoons. 
General  A.  P,  Hill,  Jackson's  successor,  was  also  wounded  in 
this  attack. 

The  rebels  now  fell  back  before  the  galling  fire  and  fierce 
charges  of  the  Federal  troops.  One  desperate  assault  waa 
made  upon  Berry's  division.  It  was  now  supported  by 
W hippie's  and  Birney's  divisions,  and  by  the  remnant  of 
Howard's,  which  was,  with  immense  energy,  again  brought 
into  action  by  that  gallant  general.  The  enemy  fell  back, 
and  the  Union  troops  again  occupied  part  of  the  "lost  ground. 
The  battle  for  the  day  was  ended,  and  the  troops  took  some 
rest,  while  the  commanders  were  busy  all  night,  in  reform- 
ing and  strengthening  the  lines.  A  new  line  of  battle  waa 
formed;  General  Ward's  brigade,  of  General  Birney's  divi- 
sion, was  massed  on  the  ridge  to  the  right,  being  supported 
by  Captain  Best's  battery,  and  General  Birney  himself  waa 
on  the  extreme  left,  to  support  the  attack.  The  enemy  must 
be  driven  back.  General  Ward  put  his  troops  in  motion 
before  midnight,  and  loud  cheers,  the  rattle  of  musketry, 
and  the  roar  of  cannon,  told  that  a  battle  fought  by  moon- 
light was  begun.  The  rebels  gave  way  half  a  mile,  and  the 
victorious  troops  slept  on  their  arms.  The  turning  of  the 
right  wing  caused  the  Union  lines,  which  at  first  had  faced 
nearly  south,  to  be  so  changed  as  to  extend  both  north  and 
south,  facing  the  west;  Reynolds  holding  the  extreme  right 
near  the  Rappahannock,  Slocum  occupying  the  centre  on 
the  plank  road,  and  Sickles  being  stationed  on  the  extreme 
left,  resting  on  Scott's  creek.  Breastworks  had  been  thrown 
up  along  the  whole  line,  and  rifle  pits  and  abatis  in  the 
front,  presented  a  formidable  barrier  to  the  enemy,  on  the 
Sabbath  morning  of  May  3d.  The  latter  were  massed  in 
and  behind  the  woods  beyond  Chancellorsville. 

As  the  sun  rose,  the  enemy  fell  in  large  force  upon 
Sickles,  and  simultaneously,  upon  Berry's  division.  The 
battle  on  the  left  and  centre  became  general,  and  the  noise 
of  the  artillery  deafening.  The  assailants  came  on  in  three 
V)I  umns,  and  faced  death  recklessly. 

The  Union  troops  received  them  w'  i  a  unflinching  oourago 


850  BATTLE  OF  CHAXCELLORSVILLI. 

Forty  pieces  of  artillery,  under  Captain  Best,  ploughed  large 
furrows  in  the  ranks  of  the  enemy,  and  whole  regiments  dis- 
solved, but  still  they  closed  up  and  moved  on.  Hookei 
ordered  General  French  it*  attack  them  in  flank.  For  more 
than  an  hour,  Sickles,  wi.h  five  thousand  men,  had  kept 
twenty  thousand  at  bay.  It  was  now  seven  o'clock,  and  the 
battle  raged  with  great  fierceness.  The  Union  troops  were 
pressed  slowly  back  through  the  ravine,  over  which  ran  the 
stone  wall  where  Sickles  had  arrested  the  disorder  of  the 
previous  day.  Behind  this  wall,  the  troops  now  retired  in 
good  order,  to  make  a  determined  stand.  It  was  in  this 
conflict  that  the  gallant  General  Berry  fell  mortally 
wounded  by  a  rifle  ball.  The  strife  at  the  wall  was 
most  deadly,  and  the  rebel  dead  strewed  the  spot  so 
thickly,  that  their  comrades  climbed  over  the  piles  of 
dead  bodies  to  discharge  one  volley,  and  then  fall,  cut 
down  like  the  grass  of  the  field,  by  the  grape  and  canister, 
which  swept  them  with  inevitable  destruction.  From  the 
stone  wall  to  Chancellorsville — about  a  mile  in  extent — tho 
battle  raged  most  furiously.  Ambulances  conveyed  the 
wounded  in  great  numbers  off  the  field,  and  those  whose 
wounds  required  attention,  but  who  were  able  to  walk, 
thronged  to  the  hospitals,  where  surgeons  were  engaged  in 
iheir  humane,  but  dreadful  labors.  The  Chaucellorsville 
nouse  had  been  turned  into  a  hospital  early  in  the  battle, 
and  was  soon  crowded  with  the  wounded  and  dying.  A 
storm  of  shot  and  shell  now  beat  upon  it ;  General  Hooker, 
who  was  standing  in  its  porch,  being  stunned  by  one  of  the 
latter  missiles.  He  soon  rode  out,  however,  and  showed 
himself  to  the  troops.  The  wounded  were  removed  aa 
quickly  as  possible  from  the  house.  The  roof  was  riddled 
with  balls,  and  one  room  was  reduced  to  ashes,  whereby  sev- 
eral of  the  wounded  within  were  consumed  in  the  flames. 

There  was  a  large  hospital  at  United  States  ford,  and  the 
building  was  not  only  crowded,  but  in  the  open  space 
around,  hundreds  of  patients  lay  arranged  on  the  ground, 
waiting  for  their  wounds  to  be  dressed  by  the  surgeons. 

At  nine  o'clock,  the  battle  had  raged  with  dreadful  car- 
nage for  four  hours,  the  booming  of  one  hundred  cannot, 
and  the  rattle  of  incessant  musketry,  combining  their  deaf- 
ening roar.  The  enemy  produced  great  havoc  in  the  Union 
muks,  but  were  more  severely  punished  themselves,  by  thi 


BATTLE  OF  THE  SIXTH  CORPS  AT  FREDERICKSBURG.  351 

jqual  courage  and  superior  skill  which  grappled  with  them 
on  this  eventful  day.  Ten  thousand  men  on  both  sides  were 
already  slain,  and  as  many  more  wounded. 

The  Union  forces  were  slowly  falling  back  to  Chancel 
lorsville  in  the  most  perfect  order,  disputing  every  inch  of 
the  way.  They  now  made  a  determined  stand  in  a  consoli- 
dated line,  and  all  the  fierce  assaults  of  the  enemy  were  gal 
lantly  repelled.  Hooker  had  massed  his  batteri^?  ;n  such  a 
manner  that  no  mortal  foe  could  approach  them,  and  the 
victorious,  but  severely  punished  enemy,  sullenly  withdrew . 
Their  loss  was  frightful.  They  had  massed  their  whole 
army  on  the  left  flank  alone,  the  Union  right  wing  not  being 
engaged.  Some  skirmishing  took  place  in  the  afternoon, 
but  nothing  of  importance  occurred  the  rest  of  the  day 
The  Union  troops  had  been  baffled,  and  were  humiliated 
Nothing  had  been  heard  of  Stonernan,  and  much  anxiety 
prevailed.  A  retreat  now  began  to  be  whispered. 

General  Sedgwick,  meanwhile,  had  crossed  the  Rappahan 
lock  below  Fredericksburg  on  Saturday,  and  the  three 
livisions  of  the  Sixth  corps  were  all  across  safely  by  mid- 
aight.  He  moved  on  Fredericksburg  at  four  o'clock,  on 
Sunday  morning,  and  carrying  the  first  line  of  the  enemy's 
intrenchments,  was  within  six  miles  of  Hooker.  The  ene 
my,  on  Sunday  morning,  the  4th,  attacked  him  in  strong 
force,  and  crowded  him  back  gradually  toward  Bank's  ford. 
It  was  a  Ireadful  battle,  in  which  Sedgwick  lost  nearly  four 
thousand  men.  The  next  day  he  recrossed  the  Rappahannock, 
with  most  of  his  trains  and  camp  equipage.  There  was 
severe  skirmishing,  but  no  battle  on  Monday  (5th).  On 
Tuesday,  the  army  prepared  to  retreat,  and  it  commenced  at 
ten  o'clock  p.  M.  The  difficult  passage  was  made  in  safety. 
Lee  was  prevented  from  pursuing  by  the  rising  of  the  river, 
and  the  troops  returned  to  their  old  camping  ground  on  the 
left  bank  of  the  Rappahanock. 

Hooker,  in  an  address  to  his  troops  on  the  6th  of  May, 
has  the  following :  "  We  have  taken  from  the  enemy  five 
thousand  prisoners,  fifteen  colors,  captured  and  brought  ofl 
seven  pieces  of  artillery,  placed  liors  du  combat  eighteen 
thousand  of  his  chosen  troops,  destroyed  his  depots  filled 
with  vast  amounts  of  stores,  deranged  his  communications 
captured  prisoners  within  the  fortifications  of  his  capita*1 
lid  filled  his  country  with  fear  ani  consternation." 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 

JUNE— JULY,  1863. 

RAID — BATTLE  OP  BRANDY  STATION — HEROISM  OF  KILPATKICB 

CAVALRY   BATTLES  OF  ALDIE  AND  UPPERVILLE TUB  CONFEDERATE! 

CROSS  THE  POTOMAC — GENERAL  HOOKER  RELIEVED  OF  THE  COMMAND, 
AHD  GENERAL  MEADE  APPOINTED  HIS  SUCCESSOR — KILPATRICK  DEFEAT* 
STUART  AT  HANOVER,  PENNSYLVANIA — FIRST  DAY  OF  THE  BATTLE  OF 
GETTYSBURG — DEATH  OF  REYNOLDS — SECOND  DAY'S  FIGHT,  AND  ITS  INCI- 
DENTS— THIRD  DAY'S  BATTLE — SPLENDID  UNION  VICTORY — THE  SANI- 
TARY AND  CHRISTIAN  COMMISSIONS — THE  COOPER  SHOP  VOLUNTEi 
REFRESHMENT  SALOON. 

GENERAL  STONEMAN  was  ordered  by  Hooker  to  cross 
the  Rappahannock  and  Rapidan,  to  cut  off  the  commu- 
nications of  the  enemy,  destroy  bridges  and  railroads,  and 
prevent  their  retreat  in  case  of  their  being  defeated,  such 
a  result  being  confidently  anticipated  by  the  loyal  people. 
The  cavalry  corps  consisted  of  three  divisions,  under  Gen- 
erals Pleasonton,  Averill,  and  Gregg,  and  the  regular  brig- 
ade, commanded  by  General  John  Buford.  Leaving 
Pleasonton  to  co-operate  with  the  main  army,  to  which  he 
rendered  the  important  services  already  described,  Stone- 
man,  on  the  27th  of  April,  marched  for  the  Rappahannock 
with  three  thousand  cavalry,  intending  to  cross  at  Beverly 
ford,  and  dispose  of  Stuart's  rebel  cavalry,  before  moving 
to  the  rear  of  Lee's  army.  High  water  and  bad  roads  de- 
tained the  expedition  till  the  29th,  when,  crossing  at  Kelly's 
ford,  Stoneman  moved  his  whole  force  (with  the  exception 
of  a  small  body  under  Genera}  Averill)  to  and  across  the 
Rapidan,  and  struck  the  Virginia  Central  railroad,  in  the  rear 
of  Lee's  army,  on  the  morning  of  May  2d.  Detachments 
were  sent  out  in  every  direction,  to  destroy  the  railroad, 
culverts,  and  bridges,  which  was  thoroughly  done.  Kilpat- 
rick  charged  into  Louisa  Court  House,  and  terrified  the 
inhabitants,  who,  finding  no  insult  offered,  and  private  prop- 
erty respected,  soon  recovered  from  their  panic. 

At  four  o'clock  the  same  day  (Saturday,  2d),  Stoneman 
moved  on,  and  reached  Thompsor'g  crossroads  at  eleven 
(352) 


STONEMAN'S  RAID.  858 

>  clock  P.  M.  and,  from  this  point,  sent  out  his  principal 
uJicers  to  destroy  the  communications  and  the  property  of 
tLe  enemy  in  every  direction. 

Colonel  Percy  Windham,  with  the  First  New  Jersey  and 
First  Maine  cavalry,  five  hundred  men  in  all,  was  despatched 
south  to  Columbia,  on  the  James  river;  Lieutenant-colonel 
Davis,  with  the  Twelfth  Illinois,  to  South  Anna  and  Ash- 
land, on  the  Fredericksburg  road  ;  Colonel  Kilpatrick,  with 
the  Harris  Light  cavalry,  to  Hungary,  on  the  Fredericks- 
burg  railroad,  and  below,  on  the  Virginia  Central ;  and 
General  Buford  proceeded  west,  toward  the  James  liver 
oanal,  at  Cedar  Point,  and  from  thence  passed  near  Gordons- 
ville.  The  rest  of  the  force  scoured  the  region  around 
Thompson's  Four  Corners  and  Yanceyville.  All  except 
Kilpatrick's  and  Davis's  commands  reached  Kelly's  ford  in 
safety,  early  on  Friday,  May  the  8th.  This  expedition  waa 
full  of  romauuc  adventures,  and  spoke  volumes  for  the 
ability  of  the  onicers  and  men  engaged  in  it.  Colonel 
Davis  lost  in  it,  two  commissioned  officers  and  thirty-three 
men;  and  Colonel  "Kiipatrick  lost  Lieutenant  Estes  and 
fifteen  men  captured,  but  they  were  afterward  recaptured 
by  a  reconnoitering  party.  The  expedition  destroyed  twen- 
ty-two bridges,  seven  culverts,  five  ferries,  broke  the  rail- 
roads in  seven  places,  burned  four  supply  trains,  three 
depots,  and  four  telegraph  stations  ;  destroyed  one  hundred 
and  twenty-two  wagons,  captured  three  hundred  horses  and 
mules,  cut  telegraphs  in  five  places,  and  liberated  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  slaves. 

The  President  visited  the  camp  at  Falmouth  on"  the  7th 
of  May,  conferred  with  Hooker  on  future  movements,  and 
expressed  himself  gratified  with  the  spirit  and  discipline  of 
the  troops.  The  remainder  of  May  was  not  signalized  by 
any  important  military  movement. 

Positive  information  having  been  received  that  Lee  waa 
creaking  up  his  camp  and  moving,  Hooker  determined  on 
a  reconnoissance  in  force  across  the  Rappahannock,  which 
was  made  by  the  Sixth  Corps,  and  it  was  now  determined 
to  send  General  Alfred  Pleasonton  to  attack  General  Stuart 
at  Beverly  ford,  where,  anticipating  a  movement  of  Lee  to 
invade  Maryland  and  Pennsylvania,  he  had  massed  a  cavalry 
force  of  fifteen  thousand  men.  Pleasonton's  forces  consisted 
of  nine  thousand  men,  composed  of  the  First  cavalry  brig- 


BATTLE   OF   BRANDY   STATION. 

ade,  under  General  Gregg,  the  regular  brigade,  under  Gen 
eral  Buford,  and  the  second  cavalry  brigade,  under  Cclond 
Duffie ;  two  thousand  infantry  and  two  batteries  made  np 
the  rest  of  the  force.  Gregg,  with  two  divisions,  crossed 
the  Rappabannock  at  early  dawn  on  the  9th  of  June,  at 
Beverly  ford,  intending  to  move  toward  Stevensburg,  and 
gain  the  enemy's  flank  and  rear  at  Brandy  Station.  Pleas- 
onton  crossed  the  ford  with  Buford  and  Davis,  and  surprised 
the  enemy  in  his  camp.  A  desperate  conflict  took  place,  in 
which  Davis  fell  in  the  centre  of  the  camp,  in  leading  a 
gallant  charge.  The  infantry  now  came  up,  and  fought 
side  by  side  with  the  cavalry  throughout  the  day. 

Gregg  came  in  sight  of  the  combatants  on  the  broad 
plains  of -Brandy  Station,  at  ten  o'clock.  A  splendid  pros- 
pect now  met  the  view.  Here,  in  this  romantic  scene,  the 
artillery  was  sending  shot  and  shell  from  the  low  hills, 
through  the  squadrons  of  the  enemy.  There  the  bayonets 
gleamed,  and  shouts  of  friend  and  foe  were  borne  to  the  ears 
of  Gi  egg's  troops,  who  for  the  first  time  had  seen  the  dust 
and  smoke  of  battle,  and  longed  to  mingle  in  the  strife. 
Windham  gallantly  led  them  in  a  fierce  charge,  with  flash- 
ing sabres,  over  and  through  Stuart's  very  head-quarters. 
The  enemy  was  strongly  reinforced,  and  the  First  New 
Jersey  and  First  Pennsylvania,  fighting  bravely,  were 
driven  down  the  hill  before  superior  numbers,  and  all  seemed 
lost.  At  this  critical  moment,  Colonel  Kilpatrick  brought 
up  the  Harris  Light  cavalry,  the  Tenth  New  York,  and 
First  Maijie.  Forming  in  echelons  of  squadrons  by  regi 
ments,  he  rushed  upon  the  foe  in  full  career,  and  met  a  re- 
pulse. He  now  lod  up  the  First  Maine,  which  had  not  yet 
been  engaged,  and  at  a  run  struck" the  rebel  columns;  in 
the  dreadful  shock,  the  latter  were  borne  down  before  the 
wild  charge.  Passing  the  regiments,  which  had  now  recov- 
ered, the  gallant  leader  shouted,  "  Back,  the  Harris  Light , 
back,  the  Tenth  New  York;  reform  your  squadrons  and 
charge."  The  hill  was  won,  Windham's  guns  recaptured, 
aud  the  day  was  saved.  At  four  p.  M.,  Gregg  joined  Pleas 
onton.  The  victory  was  fairly  won,  and  had  Duffie  come 
up  at  the  time  ordered,  it  might  have  been  decisive.  The 
enemy's  infantry  could  now  be  seen  coming  from  Culpepper 
to  aid  their  defeated  cavalry.  The  Union  loss  was  two 
hundred  killed  and  wounded;  the  rebel  loss  six  hundred 


CAVALRY  BATTLE  OF   ALDI3.  356 

The  Union  cavalry,  in  fair  combat,  had  met  the  chivalry  of 
the  South  in  superior  numbers,  and  defeated  them.  Tha 
object  was  accomplished,  the  raid  of  Stuart  prevented,  and 
the  important  information  obtained  that  Lee  was  marching 
for  Maryland.  The  victorious  squadrons  were  withdrawn 
across  the  Bappahannock,  and,  on  the  following  day,  Pleas- 
onton  was  promoted  to  a  major-general,  and  Kilpatrick  to 
*  brigadier. 

These  reconnoissances  discovered  the  intention  of  Lee  to 
move  on  the  Potomac,  and  cross  at  Harper's  Ferry.  Hooker 
did  not  attempt  to  prevent  him,  but  watched  all  his  move- 
ments by  his  effective  cavalry,  now  one  of  the  finest  bodies 
in  the  world.  The  Union  army  now  had  its  head-quarters 
at  Fairfax  Court  House,  from  which  Hooker  pushed  out  his 
columns  in  the  direction  of  Aldie  and  Thoroughfare  Gap. 
He  wanted  to  get  the  enemy  where  they  could  not  retreat 
without  a  battle,  and  as  Lee  had  not  yet  appeared  on  the 
banks  of  the  Potomac,  Pleasonton,  on  the  18th  of  June,  was 
sent  out  with  his  cavalry  to  reconnoitre.  Moving  through 
the  plain  of  Manassas,  and  the  famous  field  of  Groveton,  he 
reached  the  high  hills  of  Aldie  at  noon,  and  sent  Kilpatrick 
with  his  brigade  in  advance.  He  instructed  the  latter  to 
move  through  Aldie,  thence  to  and  through  Ashby's  Gap, 
and,  after  ascertaining  the  enemy's  movements,  to  rejoin  the 
cavalry  corps  at  Nolen's  Ferry,  on  the  Potomac,  while  Col- 
onel Duffie,  with  the  First  Rhode  Island  cavalry,  was  to 
move  through  Thoroughfare  Gap,  and  join  Kilpatrick  in  the 
valley  beyond. 

The  advance  of  Kilpatrick  encountered  that  of  Fitzhugh 
Lee  at  Aldie.  The  Union  leader  saw  the  importance  of 
occupying  the  hills  that  commanded  the  town,  and  in  a  bril- 
liant dash  had  secured  possession  of  them  before  his  adver- 
sary could  prevent  it.  A  most  terrible  struggle  for  the 
possession  of  the  hills  ensued.  The  artillery  on  each  side 
sent  forth  the  death  bolts,  and  the  men  fought  most  desper- 
ately. The  enemy  massed  on  the  Union  right,  on  which 
point  a  determined  charge  was  made  by  General  Rosser. 
The  whole  wing  gave  way,  and  Kilpatrick  saw  with  anguish 
his  troQps  fleeing  in  confusion  before  the  enemy.  He  wai 
equal  to  the  emergency.  Casting  hi?  rapid  glance  around, 
he  ordered  the  left  to  stand  firm,  and  Randall  not  to  move, 
*>ut  to  double  shot  his  guus.  Putting  himself  at  the  head  of 


666  THE   CONFEDERATES   CROSS  THE   POTOKAC. 

the  First  Maine,  he  gave  the  word  "Forward!"  The  enemy 
went  down  before  the  impetuous  charge,  though  the  Union 
leader  had  his  horse  killed  under  him,  and  the  gallant  Colo- 
nel Doughty  was  slain.  Eemounted  on  a  fresh  horse,  Kil- 
patrick  ordered  the  buglers  to  sound  an  advance  of  the 
whole  line.  The  Confederates  were  driven  before  the  rerist- 
lesa  charge  in  complete  rout,  toward  Middleburg,  and  the 
approach  of  night  saved  the  remnant  of  their  forces. 

After  the  fight  at  Aldie,  Pleasonton  resolved  to  push  on 
through  Ashby's  Gap  to  Middleburg,  and  force  back  Stuart 
on  the  rebel  infantry.  The  town  was  occupied  by  Colonel 
Craig,  after  a  brief  skirmish.  On  the  21st  of  June,  Pleason- 
ton advanced  with  his  whole  corps ;  Buford  holding  the 
right,  and  Gregg  the  left.  The  enemy  were  encountered  at 
Upperville,  by  Kilpatrick,  and  routed  in  a  bloody  combat. 
The  advance  of  Lee's  army,  meanwhile,,  was  moving  under 
Longstreet  up  the  Shenandoah  valley,  toward  Williamsport 
where  it  crossed  on  the  27th.  Pleasonton  moved  to  Aldie, 
crossed  at  Harper's  Ferry,  aaid,  with  the  main  army  under 
Hooker,  proceeded  to  Frederick  city,  where,  on  the  28th,  the 
latter  general  was  relieved  from  the  command  of  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac,  and  succeeded  by  General  G.  Meade 
General  Kilpatrick  was  now  placed  in  command  of  five 
thousand  cavalry,  heretofore  commanded  by  General  Stahl, 
and  assigned  Generals  Custer  and  Farnsworth  to  the  com- 
mand of  his  two  brigades.  The  cavalry,  which  had  done 
such  important  service,  and  was  destined  to  be  of  still  greater 
use  hereafter,  was  now  distributed  into  three  great  divisions, 
commanded  by  Generals  Buford,  Gregg,  and  Kilpatrick. 

General  Stuart  had  not  crossed  the  Potomac  with  the  rest 
of  Lee's  army,  but  had  crossed  near  Harper's  Ferry,  and 
eluded  every  cavalry  column  sent  after  him,  until  he  reached 
i»he  town  of  Hanover,  Pennsylvania,  on  the  29th  of  June. 
Here,  after  being  defeated  by  Kilpatrick  in  a  fierce  engage- 
ment of  eight  hours,  he  moved  on  York. 

While  General  Hooker  was  advancing  from  Falmouth  to 
Manassas  Junction  and  Fairfax,  keeping  the  enemy  from 
Washington  and  Baltimore,  and  crowding  Lee  to  the  west 
of  the  Bull  Run  range,  thus  compelling  him  to  cross  the 
Potomac  higher  up  than  he  desired,  the  people  of  Pennsyl- 
vania bitU  :ly  complained  that  their  towns  were  left  unde- 
fended, 


If   TJPPtftnLLl.  I6t 

Hooker  Knew  well  that  Lee  wanted  the  TJiuon  ariny 
weakened  by  sending  off  detachments,  and  that  he  would 
then  attack  it  in  detail,  and  attempt  the  capture  of  Wash 
ington  and  Baltimore,  in  case  of  success.  The  Confederate 
general,  on  the  20th  of  June,  had  reached  Winchester  with 
his  left  and  centre,  and  General  A.  P.  Hill,  on  his  right, 
was  following  through  the  Bull  Run  mountains  in  the  same 
direction.  On  the  22d,  E well's  corps  crossed  at  Sheppards- 
town  and  Williamsport,  being  followed  in  a  few  days  by  the 
corps  of  Longstreet  and  Hill.  General  Ehodes,  of  Ewell'a 
corps,  entered  Chambersburg  on  the  23d. 

The  people  of  Pennsylvania,  in  this  crisis,  were  apathetic 
to  the  earnest  calls  of  their  patriotic  Governor  and  of  General 
Couch,  as  well  as  to  the  proclamation  of  the  President  for 
troops,  and  it  was  not  till  the  invaders  were  at  their  doors, 
that  they  began  to  realize  their  danger,  and  to  send  out  men 
and  treasure  in  earnest  to  meet  the  foe.  Pennsylvania  was 
now  desecrated  by  the  tread  of  the  invader,  and  a  great  battle 
was  about  to  be  fought  on  her  soil. 

On  the  29th  of  June,  General  Buford's  Union  cavalry,  six 
thousand  strong,  marched  through  Gettysburg,  and  encamped 
on  McPherson's  farm,  a  mile  and  a  half  to  the  northwest  of 
the  village.  The  First  and  Eleventh  corps,  under  Genera' 
Reynolds  and  Howard  respectively,  and  numbering  twenty 
three  thousand  men,  besides  six  thousand  cavalry,  encamped 
on  the  right  bank  of  Marsh's  creek,  four  miles  from  the  vil- 
lage. The  Confederates  had  against  this  force  no  less  than 
seventy-six  thousand  men,  comprising  Hill's,  Longstreet's, 
and  E  well's  corps.  Hill's  corps  of  three  divisions,  under 
Heath,  Pender,  and  Anderson,  occupied  the  vicinity  of  Marsh's 
creek ;  Longstreet's  corps  came  next,  being  detained  till  the 
2d  of  July  at  Chambersburg.  Rhodes'  and  Early's  divisions 
of  Ewell's  corps  had  recently  encamped  at  Heidlersburg, 
and  Johnston's,  of  the  same  corps,  was  at  Carlisle, 

The  War  Department,  on  the  llth  of  June,  had  organizes 
the  new  military  departments  of  the  Susquehanna  and  the 
Monongahela.  The  former  was  placed  in  command  of  Major 
general  Couch,. with  his  head-quarters  at  Harrisburg,  and  the 
latter  under  Major-general  Brooks,  with  his  head-quarters  »U 
Pittsburgh. 

On  the  18th  of  June,  General  Milroy,  who  occupied  the 
post  at  Winchester  with  nearly  nine  thousand  men,  was 
Stacked  by  the  Confederate  advance  under  Iiongstreet 


858  BATTLE  OF  GtTTYSBURO. 

eighteen  thousand  strong,  and  after  a  severe  battle  repulsed 
the  enemy.  Being  attacked  next  day  by  still  greater  number^ 
Milroy  saw  no  hope  of  escape,  but  in  cutting  his  way  through. 
In  this  attempt,  he  lost  the  greater  part  of  his  ammunition 
nuu  artillery,  and  many  of  his  men,  in  killed,  wounded  and 
prisoners.  With  only  a  ]»ortion  of  his  command,  he  reached 
Haiper's  Ferry,  and  the  baggage  train  was  sent  in  safety  to 
Harrisburg.  Two  thousand  cavalry,  and  stragglers  of  his 
force  escaped  to  Bloody  Eun,  Pennsylvania,  and  were  reor- 
ganized and  joined  by  the  militia  of  the  State.  The  quota 
of  Pennsylvania  in  this  emergency  was  fifty  thousand  men, 
who  were  to  serve  six  months,  unless  sooner  discharged. 
Gettysburg,  the  capital  of  Adams  county,  Pennsylvania,  ia 
a  village  of  eight  thousand  inhabitants,  and  lies  in  a  valley. 
West  of  the  town,  at  a  distance  of  about  ten  miles,  South 
Mountain  extends  from  northeast  to  southwest.  Seminary 
or  Oak  Ridge,  parallel  with  South  Mountain,  and  half  a  mile 
west  of  the  town,  runs  in  a  southerly  direction  several  miles, 
and  on  the  north  side  of  the  town,  the  same  ridge  extends 
across  the  roads,  to  Carlisle  and  Harrisburg. 

This  Seminary  Ridge,  and  the  town  itself,  is  commandea 
on  the  south  by  the  unwooded  and  loftier  eminence  of  Cem- 
etery Hill.  About  one  and  three  quarter  miles  south  of  this, 
are  two  summits,  crowned  with  heavy  forest  trees,  and  named 
Little  Round  Top  or  Granite  Spur,  and  Round  Top. 

Half  a  mile  further  south  is  a  lower  eminence,  occupied 
on  the  3d  of  July  by  two  cavalry  brigades,  under  General 
Kilpatrick.  Southeast  of  Cemetery  Hill  are  two  smaller 
wooded  elevations,  called  Gulp's  Hill  and  Wolf's  Hill. 

On  the  1st  of  July,  General  Buford  moved  forward  to  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  west  of  Seminary  Ridge,  and  planted  his 
batteries  near  the  summit,  with  his  line  in  the  rear  near  the 
base.  The  attack  began  a  little  before  ten  o'clock,  by  the 
enemy  on  his  pickets,  who  were  thrown  out  a  mile  in  front 
of  the  batteries.  Willoughby's  creek  flows  along  the  west 
of  the  position  occupied  by  Buford.  Pender's  and  Heath's 
divisions,  of  twenty  thousand  men,  had  moved  up  on  the 
Cashtown  road,  and  posted  themselves  along  the  line  of  the 
creek  before  mentioned,  followed  by  Anderson's  division 
of  the  same  corps  (Hill's),  and  occupied  a  position  near 
the  Hagers^own  road.  Skirmishing  brought  on  a  battle, 
*ud  the  %  tillory  opened  on  both  sides.  At  half  part 


BATTLE  OF  GETTYSBURG.  559 

ten  A.  M.,  General  Reynolds  moved  rapidly  up  with  hi 
forces  (the  First  corps)  through  the  town,  and  forming  hi 
line  on  the  eastern  slope  of  Seminary  Ridge,  with  the  righs 
wing  near  the  Seminary,  ordered  an  advance  of  his  troops  to 
the  aid  of  Buford,  who  was  vigorously  struggling  against 
overwhelming  numbers.  On  the  east  of  the  creek,  the  rebel 
sharpshooters  occupied  a  grove,  near  the  summit  of  which 
Buford  had  posted  his  batteries.  It  was  here  that  Major 
general  Reynolds,  while  making  a  reconnoissance,  was  struck 
with  a  ball  in  the  neck,  and  shortly  afterward  expired,  the 
command  of  his  corps  devolving  on  General  Doubleday. 

The  efforts  of  uiie  Confederates  to  break  the  Union  line, 
during  a  battle  which  raged  fiercely  for  two  hours,  were 
bravely  resisted ;  a  rebel  brigade  of  one  thousand  five  hun- 
dred men,  together  with  a  Mississippi  regiment  of  eight 
hundred,  being  captured.  Reynolds  in  the  morning  had 
sent  to  General  Howard  for  reinforcements.  General  How 
ard  arrived  at  noon,  posted  Steinwehr's  division  on  Cemetery 
Hill,  and  hurried  up  with  the  divisions  of  Schurz  and  Bar 
low,  to  the  assistance  of  the  First  corps.  Rhodes'  division 
of  twelve  thousand  men  was  pressing  the  Union  troops  s<r 
hard,  that  they  were  beginning  to  give  way,  and  the  rein 
forcements  now  coming  up,  under  Schurz  and  Barlow,  at  the 
double-quick,  took  their  position  on  the  extreme  right,  and 
for  an  hour  drove  back  the  advancing  foe.  The  Confederate 
General  Early  (of  Hill's  corps)  then  threw  the  weight  of  hia 
troops  into  the  scale.  Thus  the  enemy  had  forty  thousand 
men,  and  as  many  more  in  supporting  distance,  and  the 
Federal  troops,  to  avoid  death  or  capture,  were  compelled  to 
fall  back  to  Cemetery  Hill,  where  Steinwehr's  division  waa 
ready  to  support  them.  The  First  corps  moved  through 
the  town  in  perfect  order,  and  took  up  its  position  on  the 
left  and  rear  of  Steinwehr.  The  Eleventh  corps,  which  waa 
heavily  pressed,  lost  over  two  thousand  five  hundred  cap- 
tured in  passing  through  the  town,  and  took  up  a  position 
in  front,  and  on  the  right  centre  of  the  hill.  The  two  corps 
were  now  on  the  hill  at  half  past  four  P.  M. ;  the  effective  fire  of 
the  artillery,  and  of  sharpshooters,  prevented  any  pursuit  by 
the  enemy.  W  hen  the  two  corps  were  in  position,  General 
Hancock  arrived,  and  proceeded  to  carry  out  the  orders  of 
General  Meade,  by  posting  the  different  corps  as  they  came 
up  The  Twelfth  corps  (Slocum's)  was  posted  oa  Culp'a 


860  BAttttt  ot 

Hill,  extending  to  Wolf's  Hill,  and  the  Third  corps  (Sickles^ 
on  the  left  of  the  First  corps,  on  Cemetery  Hill. 

On  the  Confederate  side,  Rhodes'  and  Early's  divisions  (of 
Ewell's  corps)  occupied  the  town ;  from  thence  the  line  ex- 
tended a  mile  east,  to  Rock  creek.  Johnston's  division,  of 
this  corps,  arrived  the  next  day  (July  2d),  and  occupied  the 
extreme  left,  behind  this  creek.  Hill's  corps  was  posted 
on  Seminary  Ridge,  with  Heath's  division  on  the  left,  ex- 
tending from  the  Chambersburg  turnpike  to  the  Shippens- 
burg  (or  Mummasburg)  road,  next  came  Fender,  and  next 
Anderson;  then  McLaw's  division  of  Longstreet's  corps, 
which,  with  Anderson's  men,  had  come  up  too  late,  to  par- 
ticipate in  the  first  day's  battle.  Hood  came  up  with  hia 
division  on  the  next  morning,  and  took  up  a  position  on 
the  enemy's  extreme  right. 

Thus  matters  were  on  the  night  of  the  1st  of  July.  The 
two  corps  of  brave  Union  troops  had  fought  vastly  superior 
numbers,  and  lost  heavily  ;  among  others,  their  beloved  com- 
mander, General  Reynolds,  killed,  and  General  Barlow,  se- 
verely wounded.  Schurz's  division  (Eleventh  corps)  had 
br.en  in  the  morning  three  thousand  six  hundred  strong, 
and  lost  two  thousand  two  hundred  in  killed,  wounded, 
and  prisoners. 

The  Federal  position  was  excellent,  and  the  confidence  of 
the  troops  in  Meade  unbounded.  Slocum's,  and  part  of 
Sickles'  corps,  came  up  in  the  evening,  and  when  General 
Meade  and  staff  arrived  at  midnight,  the  spirits  of  the  troops 
rose  to  enthusiasm. 

The  enemy  were  boastful,  and  prophesied  destruction  to 
the  Union  army  on  the  morrow.  The  terrified  townspeople 
had  seen  the  Barman  House  burned  to  the  ground  in  the 
morning,  and  were  anxious  and  disheartened. 

At  seven  o'clock  on  Thursday  morning,  July  2d,  the  rest 
of  Sickles'  corps  (Third),  the  whole  of  the  Second  (Han- 
cook's),  and  the  Fifth  (Sykes'),  came  up.  Hancock  took  posi- 
tion on  the  left  centre,  next  the  First  corps ;  Sickles  joined 
him  on  the  left,  while  the  extreme  left  was  held  by  Sykes,  on 
Round  Top,  and  Little  Round  Top.  Sedgwick,  with  the 
Sixth  corps,  had  marched  a  long  distance,  and  arrived  only 
at  two  o'clock  P.  M.  ;  he  took  up  a  position  in  reserve,  in  the 
rear  of  the  Fifth  corps. 

All  the  Confederate  trocrw  had  come  up  by  Thursday, 


BATTLE   OF   GETTYSBURG.  861 

July  2d.  While  Stuart  was  hastening  on  tc  join  Lee,  he  en- 
countered  Kilpatrick's  cavalry  at  Hanover,  Pennsylvania, 
and,  after  a  severe  conflict,  was  routed  with  the  loss  of  foui 
hundred  killed,  wounded,  and  captured,  and  six  pieces  of 
artillery,  the  Union  loss  being  only  two  hundred.  Had 
Stuart  not  been  detained  on  the  first  day,  matters  might 
have  been  worse.  The  Confederate  army  was  made  up  of 
the  very  flower  of  the  South,  and  numbered  one  hundred 
and  four  thousand  men.  The  patriot  army  amounted  tc 
ninety-four  thousand  as  brave  troops  as  ever  entered  a  field 
of  battle.  The  whole  world  were  anxious  spectators  of  the 
combat,  for  a  nation's  destiny  once  more  trembled  in  the 
balance. 

The  ominous  silence  which  succeeded  the  first  day's  battle, 
was  only  broken  by  the  firing  of  the  Federal  pickets,  or  by 
an  occasional  shot  from  some  field  piece,  in  order  to  ascer- 
tain the  position  and  strength  of  the  enemy.  The  afternoon 
of  the  2d  of  July,  at  the  hour  of  4.20  p.  M.,  was  memora- 
ble for  the  renewal  of  the  conflict  on  the  part  of  the  rebel 
commander,  by  a  fierce  artillery  fire  on  the  left,  followed  by 
a  desperate  charge  of  infantry.  The  Third  corps  (Sickles' 
advanced  three  fourths  of  a  mile  in  front  of  the  main  Union 
line,  with  the  Ninth  Massachusetts  battery.  This  position 
was  too  far  from  support,  and  the  enemy  quickly  hurled 
twenty-six  thousand  men  on  this  single  corps.  Sickles  was 
soon  wounded,  and  Birney,  who  succeeded  him  in  the  com- 
mand, was  also  wounded  in  turn.  The  corps  was  forced 
back,  still  fighting  with  great  bravery,  and  the  exultant 
enemy  attempted  to  gain  the  high  ground  between  Bound 
Top,  and  Little  Round  Top,  to  reach  and  hold  which  would 
give  them  command  of  Cemetery  Hill,  and  the  Union  posi- 
tion. So  desperate  a  conflict  raged  for  four  hours,  that 
victory  trembled  in  the  scale.  On  Eound  Top,  there  were 
only  three  or  four  batteries;  one  on  the  left  was  commanded 
by  Captain  Bigelow,  of  the  Ninth  Massachusetts.  The  in- 
fantry swayed  to  and  fro,  and  almost  gave  way  under  the 
overpowering  pressure.  The  failure  of  the  artillery  would 
enable  the  Confederates  to  shell  the  Union  lines ;  they  had 
planted  one  battery  already,  and  unlimbered  their  guns  at 
the  very  muzzles  of  Bigelow's.  Many  of  the  enemy  were 
blown  into  atoms,  but  others  pressed  on,  and  killed  the 
Pinion  gunners.  Two  sergeants,  three  art  Uerists,  and  twenty- 
31 


862  BATTLE   OF   OEITYSBUTKJ. 

t>ne  of  Bigelow's  men  were  gone,  himself  shot  in  the  side, 
jnd  his  horses  killed.  Four  of  his  pieces  were  dragged  oflj 
)ut  he  held  his  ground  till  Major  McGilvray  planted  his 
Batteries.  A  fresh  division  of  the  Third  corps  (Hu-<*- 
phrey's)  coining  to  the  aid  of  the  Htter,  they  drove  the 
^nemy  back  with  great  slaughter,  and  recaptured  the  lost 
sruns. 

Doubleday's  division,  of  the  First  corps,  part  of  the  Fifth 
•nd  Sixth  corps,  and  two  divisions  of  the  Twel^h  corps 
(Slocurn's);  assisted  the  Third  corps  in  this  tremendous 
struggle,  which  no  pen  can  describe.  The  enemy,  who  had 
fought  with  a  fierceness  and  bravery  never  surpassed,  and 
were  met  with  a  courage  equal  to  their  own,  had  at  one 
time  ga'ned  the  summit  of  Bound  Top,  but  were  repelled  at 
the  end  of  this  fierce  struggle,  which  continued  three  hours 
General  Crawford,  with  his  division  of  the  Fifth  corps,  the 
brave  Pennsylvania  Reserves,  drove  them  down  the  hill  into 
the  valley  by  a  desperate  charge,  and  they  sought  the  woods 
beyond  the  next  hill.  Here  three  hundred  rebels  were  cap- 
tured. It  was  on  this  charge,  that  the  brave  Colonel  Taylor, 
of  the  Bucktails,  was  killed,  and  here  also  fell  the  rebei 
General  Barksdale.  The  attempt  on  the  Union  left  being 
met  with  such  a  bloody  repulse,  no  further  attempts  were 
made  upon  it. 

The  Union  right  wing  had  been  weakened,  to  support  the 
attack  on  the  left,  and  Ewell  now  determined  to  gain  pos- 
session of  Gulp's  and  Wolfs  hills.  He  massed  his  forces 
against  the  Eleventh  corps,  and  Green's  brigade,  of  Geary's 
division.  The  attack  on  the  Eleventh  corps  was  gallantly 
repulsed  by  Howard's  artillery,  which  made  dreadful  car- 
nage among  the  foe,  who  fell  back  in  total  rout.  The  attack 
on  Green's  brigade  was  also  repelled  with  great  loss,  the 
whole  ground  in  his  front  being  strewed  with  dead  and 
wounded.  Aid  was  sent  to  these  heroic  troops.  The  battle 
lasted  here  nearly  two  hours,  until  half  past  nine  P.  M. 
Some  of  the  enemy's  troops  had  even  pushed  on  as  far  aa 
Spangler's  spring,  where  they  lay  all  night  on  their  arms. 
The  rebels,  exc«  pt  at  the  latter  place,  had  been  repulsed  at 
all  points.  Their  commander  determined,  however,  to  renew 
the  attack  on  the  next  day,  July  «Sd.  Accordingly,  General 
Ewell  was  to  carry  the  Union  right  wing,  and  .tjongstreet 
the  left  centre. 


BATTLE   OP   QKTT7SBUBO.  881 

At  early  dawn  on  Friday  morning,  the  Union  guns  thun- 
dered forth  defiance,  and  Slocum's  men  determined  to  regain 
their  rifle  pits.  The  Union  troops  remained  behind  their 
intrenchments,  and  all  the  efforts  of  Ewell  and  Rhodes  to 
gain  an  inch  of  ground  were  quite  useless.  The  Twelfth 
corps  had  been  reinforced  by  Shaler's  brigade  of  the  Sixth, 
acd  a  Maryland  brigade.  Inch  by  inch,  the  rebels  wer« 
driven  out  of  the  breastworks.  From  four  till  eight  A.  if, 
the  battle  raged  fiercely,  and  then  came  a  lull  for  awhile* 
when  the  combat  was  renewed  with  greater  fury.  At  half 
past  ten  A.  M.,  the  enemy  were  in  retreat,  being  hurled  with 
immense  loss  over  the  breastworks,  while  their  ranks  were 
ploughed  by  the  shot  and  shell  of  the  artillery.  At  one 
o'clock  p.  M.,  the  enemy  opened  upon  Hancock's  corps,  on 
the  centre  and  left,  with  one  hundred  and  fifty  guns,  and 
the  Union  batteries  responding,  the  most  awful  concussion 
took  place  from  the  fire  of  three  hundred  guns.  The  air 
vas  filled  with  exploding  shells,  and  other  deadly  missiles, 
and  the  trees  were  riven  as  if  by  forked  lightning.  The 
Federals  at  length  ceased  firing,  and  waited  for  what  might 
next  happen. 

Nor  did  they  require  to  do  so  long.  Pickett's  division, 
of  Longstreet's  corps,  which  was  quite  fresh,  and  had  not 
yet  been  under  fire  in  this  battle,  was  now  brought  for- 
ward, supported  by  three  brigades  from  the  divisions  of 
Heath  and  Anderson.  On  they  came  for  half  a  mile,  to  as- 
sault the  Union  lines,  being  confident  of  carrying  them. 
Grape,  canister,  and  shell  raked  them  at  short  range,  but 
still  they  advanced.  A  destructive  musketry  fire  met  them, 
on  a  nearer  approach,  and  rushing  up  to  the  Federal  lines, 
some  threw  down  their  arms  and  surrendered.  The  rest, 
avoiding  the  fire,  which  no  mortal  could  endure,  betook 
themselves  to  flight.  Eight  hundred  prisoners  were  here 
taken,  by  each  of  two  brigades  of  Doubleday's  division,  and 
many  by  other  brigades,  as  also  fifteen  stands  of  colors. 
General  Garnett  was  killed,  General  Armistead,  of  the  same 
division  (Pickett's),  mortally  wounded,  and  the  commander 
of  the  third  brigade,  of  the  same  division,  badly  wounded 
and  taken  prisoner.  Generals  Pettigrew  and  Semmes,  were 
also  wounded,  the  latter  mortally.  More  than  one  third  of 
the  participants  in  this  assault  were  left  dead  or  wounded 
an  the  fi  jld,  and  three  thousand  more  captured.  Though 


104  SPLENDID   UNION  VICTORY. 

the  Federal  loss  was  much  inferior,  Generals  Hancock  ana 
Gibbon  were  wounded  severely,  and  Generals  Warren  and 
Hunt  slightly.  Thus  closed  the  battle  on  this  part  of  the 
field.  The  trains  of  ammunition  of  the  Federals  were 
placed  in  the  rear,  behin  1  the  shelter  of  Round  Top.  Long- 
street  endeavored  to  possess  this  place,  and  capture  the 
trains.  While  the  battle  with  the  Union  centre  was  raging, 
he  made  a  desperate  assault  with  Hood's  and  McLaw's  divis- 
ions, and  sent  an  infantry  force  and  some  batteries  south- 
west of  Bound  Top,  to  turn  the  flank  of  the  Sixth  corps,  and 
seize  the  prizes  of  the  train  and  position.  At  this  critical 
moment,  when  they  moved  in  three  lines  impetuously  to 
the  charge,  Kilpatrick's  cavalry  charged  the  last  line  in 
flank,  and  forced  Hood's  division  to  retire.  Other  cavalry 
regiments  were  sent  in,  and  the  rebel  charging  column)) 
floated  off  to  the  centre  of  the  Union  main  line,  and  finally 
broke,  and  fled  in  confusion  from  under  the  fire  of  one  hun- 
dred guns.  The  Pennsylvania  Reserves  drove  them  back 
to  their  original  position,  behind  Round  Top,  and  captured 
their  battery,  three  hundred  prisoners,  and  five  thousand 
stands  of  arms.  At  the  same  time,  General  Gregg,  who 
held  a  position  on  the  extreme  right,  attacked  Stuart's 
cavalry,  and  E well's  force  on  the  left  and  rear. 

Thus  ended  the  battle  of  Gettysburg,  one  of  the  severest 
of  modern  times,  and  in  magnitude  compared  to  Waterloo. 
The  Union  losses  were  two  thousand  eight  hundred  and 
thirty-four  killed/  fourteen  thousand  seven  hundred  and  nine 
wounded,  ani  eix  thousand  six  hundred  and  forty- three 
•tiissing,  of  whom  nearly  four  thousand  were  captured, 
«aking  a  total  loss  of  twenty-three  thousand  one  hundred 
*nd  eighty-six. 

Among  the  killed  were  Generals  Reynolds,  Weed,  Zook, 
*nd  Farnsworth;  and  among  the  wounded,  were  Major-gen- 
erals Sickles,  Hancock,  Butterfield,  Doubleday,  and  Birney, 
and  Brigadier-generals  Barlow,  Barnes,  Gibbon,  Hunt,  Gra- 
nam,  Paul,  and  Willard.  The  rebe1  loss  was  five  thousand 
five  hundred  killed,  twenty-one  tnousand  wounded,  nine 
thousand  prisoners,  and  four  thousand  stragglers,  or  a  total 
of  nearly  forty  thousand  men.  Among  their  dead  were 
Major-generals  Pender,  and  Brigadiers  Barksdale,  Armistead, 
Garnett,  and  Semmes;  the  wounded  were  Major-generala 
Hood,  Heath  and  Trimble  and  Brigadiers  Kemper,  Scale* 


SANITARY  AND   CHRISTIAN    COMMISSIONS.  885 

Anderson,  Hampton,  Jones,  and  Jenkins;  and  among  the 
captured,  were  Brigadier-generals  Archer  and  Kemper. 

The  Sanitary  and  Christian  Commissions  are  worthy  to 
live  in  history,  for  the  kind  care  with  which  they  minis- 
tered to  the  wants  of  the  wounded  on  this  battle  field.  Many 
of  them  were  furnished  with  surgical  treatment,  at  the  hos- 
pital of  the  Cooper  Shop  Volunteer  Refreshment  Saloon, 
Philadelphia.  This  benevolent  institution,  during  the  war, 
fed  gratuitously  six  hundred  thousand  brave  defenders  of 
their  country,  and,  like  its  rival  in  beneficence,  the  Union 
Saloon,  is  worthy  the  gratitude  of  the  nation,  and  of  all 
future  generations  of  posterity.  The  former  of  these  saloona, 
so  called  from  its  President,  William  M.  Cooper,  originated 
the  Soldier's  Home,  of  Philadelphia,  an  institution  of  exten- 
sive usefulness  to  the  brave  defenders  of  their  country. 


CHAPTER  XXXVI        ' 

APRIL— JULY,  1863. 

OTKBAL  3RANT  TAKES  COMMAND  IN  PKRSON  OF  THE  ARMY  BEFORE  V  ,CK« 
BURG — HIS  DIFFERENT  ATTEMPTS  AND  FAILURES — RESOLVES  TO  ATTACJ 

FROM  BELOW THE  GUNBOATS  PASS  TIIK  BATTERIES THE  ARMY  M.'.RCHBk 

TO  HARD  TIMES — THK  ATTACK  ON  GRAND  GULF;  ITS  RESULTS — THETROOPB 
AT  BRUINSBURG — BATTLES  WHICH  FOLLOW CAPTURE  OF  JACKSON,  MISSIS- 
SIPPI— THE  ARMY  MARCHES  WESTWARD — BATTLES  OF  CHAMPION  HILl, 
AND  BLACK  RIVER  BRIDGE — VICKSBURG  INVESTED — THE  ASSAULTS,  SIEGS, 

AND    SURRENDER RESULT    OF    THE    CAMPAIGN BATTLE  OF    MILLIKEN'g 

BKND OPERATIONS  AGAINST  PORT  HUDSON ITS  CLOSE  INVESTMENT  AND 

SURRENDER ATTACK   ON    BRASHEAR  AND    TERREBONNK — INHUMAN    MAS- 

fl ACRES  OF  NEGROES — THE  ATTEMPT  ON  HELENA — PROGRESS  OF  THE  WAR. 

ALL  the  attempts  to  capture  Vicksburg  had  hitherto  failed. 
Since  the  abortive  efforts  of  Sherman,  at  Chickasaw  Bluffs, 
in  the  end  of  1862,  the  works  and  garrison  had  been 
strengthened,  and  an  attack  would  now  be  attended  with 
great  loss  of  life.  Grant  had  hoped  to  reach  the  rear  of  the 
stronghold  by  gaining  the  command  of  the  Mississippi  Cen- 
tral railroad,  as  far  as  Jackson,  and  making  Memphis  his 
base,  but  the  severance  of  his  communications  by  the  enemy 
in  1862,  had  frustrated  this  design. 

In  January,  1863,  he  took  command  in  person  of  the  army 
before  Vicksburg,  and  followed  up  a  series  of  operations 
which,  after  innumerable  difficulties  and  failures,  at  last 
accomplished  his  grand  design,  to  the  lasting  honor  of  its 
author. 

A  canal  across  the  neck  of  land  opposite  Vicksburg,  for 
the  isolation  of  the  place,  by  turning  the  river  into  a  new 
route,  had  been  projected  by  General  Williams,  who  was 
killed  at  Baton  Rouge  in  1862.  Grant  thought  that  he  could 
send  transports  below  Vicksburg  by  this  canal,  which  he 
undertook  with  great  labor  to  finish,  but  the  rise  of  the  river 
on  the  8th  of  March,  and  the  consequent  pressure  on  the 
dam  across  the  canal,  caused  the  failure  of  the  project. 

Grant  now  directed  the  opening  of  a  route  from  Milliken's 
Bend,  through  Roundaway  Bayou  into  the  Tensas  river, 
which  would  join  the  Mississippi  at  New  Carthage.     JI« 
(3661 


GENERAL  GRANT'S  OPERATIONS  BE?  JRE  VICKSBURG.      367 

Bent  some  vessels  through  this  route,  but  the  rapid  fall  of 
the  river  in  April,  and  the  roads  being  then  passable  between 
Milliken's  BenJ  and  New  Carthage,  caused  this  method  to 
be  abandoned. 

A  passage  also  was  cut  from  the  river  into  Lake  Provi- 
lence,  which  communicated  with  the  Mississippi  below, 
through  Bayous  Baxter  and  Macon,  and  the  Tensas,  Washita, 
and  Bed  rivers. 

A  channel  was  now  opened  from  the  Mississippi  to  Cold 
water  river,  through  Yazoo  Pass,  with  the  intention  of  de 
Btroying  the  enemy's  gunboats  and  transports,  in  the  Yazoo 
river.  Grant  hoped  by  this  route  to  be  able  to  reduce  the 
strong  outwork  at  Haines'  Bluff*.  Only  light  gunboats  could 
sail  through  this  passage,  and  these,  after  an  ineffectual  at- 
tempt to  silence  the  batteries,  remained  below  in  the  Talla- 
hatchie  river.  A  reconnoissance  of  Admiral  Porter  up 
Steele's  Bayou,  disclosed  a  passage  through  it,  as  well  as 
•hrough  Black  Bayou,  Deer  creek,  Rolling  Fork,  and  the 
Sunflower  river,  into  the  Yazoo,  at  a  point  where  the  rebel 
vessels  could  be  hemmed  in  between  the  two  squadrons. 
Phis  route  was  tried  on  the  25th  of  March,  but  failed  in  its 
main  design. 

The  indomitable  Grant  now  adopted  the  plan  of  assailing 
the  stronghold  from  below,  and  in  the  rear,  by  making  the 
Louisiana  side,  at  some  point  below,  his  base,  and  from 
thence,  by  rapid  marching,  to  gain  and  occupy  the  hilla 
which  looked  out  upon  the  high  bluff's  of  Vicksburg.  This 
was  a  bold  and  perilous  enterprise,  as  strong  batteries  lined 
tb^,  eastern  bank  of  the  Mississippi  from  Vicksburg  to  Port 
f  idson,  and  from  Young's  Point  to  Warrenton. 

A  considerable  number  of  Porter's  gunboats,  with  a  small 
L^et  of  transports,  and  coal  barges,  would  have  to  run  th« 
gauntlet  of  these  formidable  batteries.  The  main  army  ^ 
consisting  of  the  Nineteenth,  Fifteenth,  and  Seventeenth 
corps,  would  be  obliged  to  march  down  the  right  bank  of 
the  river,  to  a  point  below,  at  which  a  safe  crossing  could 
be  effected.  The  soil  was  marshy,  and  the  roads  wet  from 
recent  inundations.  The  troops  would  have  to  march  seventy 
miles,  from  Milliken's  Bend,  the  head-quarters,  to  Hard 
Times,  and  crossing  the  river  at  that  point,  a  further  route 
of  one  hundred  miles,  through  an  enemy's  country,  exposed 
at  every  step  to  attack,  would  be  vet  before  them,  ae  well  as 


868  THE   GUNBOATS  PASS  THE   BATTERIES. 

works  almost  as  strong  as  those  in  the  front.  It  was  at  this 
conjuncture,  that  in  order  to  weaken  the  enemy,  b}  destroy- 
ing his  communications,  General  Grant  sent  Colonel  Grier- 
eon  on  the  raid  already  described. 

On  the  29th  of  March,  the  Thirteenth  army  corps,  under 
General  McClernand,  was  sent  from  Milliken's  Bend  toward 
Hard  Times ;  the  Fifteenth  and  Seventeenth  following  as 
fast  as  supplies  of  provisions  and  ammunition  could  be  trans- 
ported. General  Sherman,  with  the  Fifteenth,  was  to  remain 
to  the  last,  and  by  making  a  feint  on  Haines'  Bluff,  engage 
the  enemy's  attention. 

During  the  slow  and  laborious  progress  of  the  army,  the 
gunboats  and  transports  were  preparing  for  the  hazardous 
passage.  Brave  seamen  and  pilots  were  found  ready  to 
volunteer.  Eight  gunboats,  and  three  transports,  the  latte* 
large  river  steamers,  having  their  boilers  protected  by  cottof 
bales,  were  made  ready  for  the  expedition,  and  left  the  Yazoo 
on  the  16th  of  April,  at  eleven  o'clock  p.  M.,  being  seen,  b> 
anxious  spectators,  to  creep  silently  down  the  western  shoio. 
cross,  and  pass  the  upper  batteries  in  safety.  The  boom  of 
cannon  announced  that  the  batteries  were  now  opening  upop 
them,  while  the  increasing  distance  of  the  sound  made  it  evi 
^ent  that  the  vessels  were  still  proceeding  on  their  dangerous 
xay.  The  light  of  beacon  fires,  now  revealed  their  position  on 
the  river,  and  they  were  assailed  with  redoubled  efforts  by  the 
batteries,  to  more  than  one  of  which  the  responsive  Parrott 
fiells  of  the  gunboats  carried  destruction.  The  transport 
Jenry  Clay  was  burned  and  destroyed  by  the  explosion  of 

shell,  which  fired  the  cotton  around  her  engines,  killing 
ind  wounding  two  men.  With  this  exception,  all  the  vcs 
sels  made  the  passage  successfully. 

On  the  22d  of  April,  six  more  transports,  and  twelve 
barges,  also  successfully  passed  the  batteries,  one  transport, 
the  Tigress,  being  sunk  by  a  shot.     The  troops  were  trans- 
ported across  the  river  on  the  29th  of  April,  on  which  day 
ney  moved  in  front  of  Grand  Gulf,  where  the  gunboats  at- 
acked  the  batteries.     In  a  severe  naval  action  of  five  hours 
nd  a  half,  the  batteries  were  not  silenced,  and  Grant  landed 
he  troops  at  Hard  Times. 

The  ttext  morning,  he  crossed  with  them  to  Bruinsburg, 
Mississippi.  The  Thirteenth  army  corps,  being  furnished 
with  throe  days'  rations,  was  sent  on  to  Port  Gibson,  and 


ATTACK   ON   GKAND   GULF;    ITS   RESULTS. 

MoPhersou  was  to  follow,  with  the  Seventeenth  corps,  as 
soon  as  it  could  cross  the  river.  On  the  1st  of  May,  at  an 
early  hour,  the  rebel  skirmishers  were  encountered  four 
miles  from  Port  Gibson,  at  a  place  where  the  road  branches 
off,  and  their  main  body,  about  twelve  thousand  strong,  was 
inet  on  one  of  these  roads  by  three  divisions  of  McClernand's 
sorps,  to  the  right,  and  by  the  division  of  General  Osterhaus, 
on  the  left.  Then  resulted  the  battle  of  Schaeffer's  planta- 
tion, in  which  the  gallant  Osterhaus,  although  without  the 
reinforcements,  for  which  he  had  sent  to  McPherson,  drove 
the  enemy  before  him.  The  action  ended  at  three  P.M.,  and 
in  another  at  Clear  Hills,  near  Port  Gibson,  the  enemy,  after 
losing  heavily  in  killed,  wounded,  and  captured,  fled  in  dis- 
order, burning  behind  them  the  bridge  over  the  Bayou  Pierre, 
on  the  Grand  Gulf  road.  The  patriots  slept  that  night  on  their 
arms,  and  the  Bayou  Pierre  being  pontooned,  at  Port  Gibson, 
the  advance  crossed  on  the  3d  of  May,  at  five  A.  M.  Grand 
Gulf  was  evacuated  by  the  enemy.  General  Grant,  riding  to 
Bruinsburg,  arranged  for  a  change  of  base  to  that  place,  and 
General  Sherman  having  arrived  with  the  Fifteenth  army 
corps,  he  ordered  an  advance  from  Hawkinson's  Ferry  on 
the  7th  of  May.  The  left,  formed  by  McPherson's  corps, 
was  to  keep  the  road  nearest  to  Black's  river ;  McClernand's 
corps  was  to  follow  the  ridge  road  from  Willow  Springs, 
and  Sherman  was  to  divide  his  corps  between  the  two  roads. 
The  advance  of  the  troops  was  not  made  without  hard  fight- 
ing, in  which  the  Confederates  were  worsted  with  heavy 
loss,  but  were  soon  reinforced,  being  now  commanded  by 
General  Joseph  Johnston,  in  person. 

Sherman's  and  McClernand's  corps  had  been  ordered  to 
move  toward  Raymond.  On  the  14th,  Sherman,  with  Me- 
Ciernand  within  supporting  distance,  advanced  toward  Jack- 
sou,  and  engaged  the  enemy.  McPherson  engaged  and  routed 
another  force.  Pemberton  had  left  the  fortifications  of 
"*  icksburg,  and  was  marching  on  Grant's  rear,  and  the  latter 
hearing  this,  ordered  McPherson  and  McClernand  to  face 
about,  and  march  toward  Ed  card's  Station,  while  he  him- 
self proceeded  to  Clinton,  leaving  Sherman  to  destroy  the 
railroad  bridges,  factories,  and  arsenals,  and  then  rejoin  the 
other  two  corps.  This  work  was  thoroughly  performed. 

McClernand's  corps  was  sent  to  feel  the  enemy  on  tha 
16th,  toward  Edward's  Station,  at  which  point  the  corps  of 


570  BATTLE   OF   CHAMPION   HIL 

McPharson,  and  Blair's  division  of  Sherman's  corps  were 
concentrating.  Information  reached  General  Grant,  on  the 
16th,  at  five  o'clock  A.  M.,  that  the  rebel  army  was  twenty- 
five  thousand  strong,  with  ten  batteries  of  artillery.  Being 
further  apprised  of  the  enemy's  intention  of  attacking  hi* 
•ear,  he  ordered  Sherman  lorvvard  with  all  speed. 

\Viiile  the  other  divisions  of  McClernand's  corps  were  ad 
rancing,  General  A.  P.  Ilovey's  division,  forming  the  right 
wing,  occupied  the  main  road  from  Jackson  to  Vicksburg, 
tsar  the  railroad.  North  of  the  road  lay  McPherson's  corps, 
one  division  of  which,  under  General  Logan,  occupied  the 
.eft,  next  to  Ilovey,  who  had  skirmishing  with  the  enemy 
on  the  16th,  at  Champion  Hill,  eight  miles  from  Edward's 
Station.  The  Confederates  held  a  strong  position  on  a 
narrow  wooded  ridge,  their  left  resting  on  a  steep  height, 
at  a  sharp  turn  in  the  Vicksburg  road ;  in  front,  beyond 
the  woods,  rose  a  series  of  cultivated  hills,  on  which  their 
artillery  was  posted.  McClernand  was  now  within  a  short 
distance,  and  Grant,  who  did  not  desire  to  bring  on  a  general 
action  until  his  arrival,  now  permitted  the  attack  to  be  made. 
Hovey  made  the  attack  in  front,  and  Logan  in  flank.  The 
former  charged  gallantly,  but  was  forced  back  by  overwhelm- 
ing numbers.  Being  supported  by  Quinby's  division,  he 
soon  regained  his  lost  ground.  Logan  operated  on  the  rebel 
flank  and  rear,  and  had  the  attack  in  front  been  made  in 
greater  force,  was  in  a  situation  to  have  captured  almost  the 
entire  hostile  line.  When  McClernand  arrived,  at  four 
o'clock,  the  rebels  were  in  rapid  retreat ;  Carr's  and  Oster- 
baus's  divisions  pursuing,  captured  a  train  of  cars,  laden 
with  commissary  and  ordnance  stores.  This  battle  was  the 
most  severe  fought,  heretofore,  by  General  Grant's  forces. 
The  Union  loss  in  killed,  wounded,  and  missing,  was  two 
thousand  five  hundred ;  that  of  the  rebels,  nearly  three 
thousand  killed  and  wounded,  two  thousand  prisoners, 
thirty-two  cannon,  and  a  large  quantity  of  small  arms  and 
equipments.  Many  of  the  Confederates  came  voluntarily 
over  to  the  Union  linu). 

The  rebels  had  retreated  to  a  strong  position  on  the  Big 
Black.  On  the  morning  of  the  17th  of  May,  after  a  heavy 
conflict  with  artillery,  the  Federal  troops  advanced  to  the 
edge  of  the  woods,  frontir.^  the  enemy's  position,  and  it  was 
discovered  that  opposite  the  extreme  Union  right,  at  t.ha 


VICKSBURQ    INVESTED — THE   ASSAULTS.  371 

distance  of  three  hundred  yards,  there  was  an  opening 
through  which  the  hostile  works  might  be  entered.  The 
troops  for  this  dangerous  enterprise,  were  the  Twenty-sec- 
ond and  Twenty-third  Iowa,  and  the  Eleventh  and  Twenty- 
first  Wisconsin  regiments.  These  brave  men,  with  a  loss  of 
over  one  tenth  of  their  number,  rushed  through  all  obstruc- 
tions, and  cheering,  poured  in  a  terrible  volley.  The  ene 
my's  position  was  carried  by  assault,  and  at  once  surren- 
dered ;  eleven  hundred  men,  eighteen  cannon,  and  several 
colors  being  the  fruits  of  the  victory.  The  rest  of  the 
enemy's  forces  fled  across  the  Big  Black,  and  burned  the 
bridge  behind  them. 

General  Sherman  had  been  sent  with  his  corps  to  Bridge- 
port, further  up  the  Big  Black,  which,  on  May  18th,  he 
crossed  by  means  of  a  pontoon  bridge,  and  moving  rapidly, 
occupied  on  the  same  day  the  important  position  at  Walnut 
Hills,  on  the  Yazoo  river,  northwest  of  Yicksburg.  McCler- 
nand  and  McPherson  had  crossed  on  the  morning  of  the 
18th,  on  floating  bridges.  The  latter  occupied  the  hills  east 
of  the  city,  and  the  former  those  to  the  southeast.  Admiral 
Porter,  with  his  gunboats,  held  the  river  front,  both  above 
>nd  below,  and  the  city  was  now  successfully  invested.  The 
great  advantage  of  Grierson's  raid  was  now  fully  apparent, 
the  enemy's  communication  was  thereby  cut  off.  Grant 
nad  a  force  sufficient  to  cope  with  the  garrison  of  Yicks- 
burg,  which  he  determined  at  once  to  capture  by  assault 

The  first  assault  was  made  at  two  p.  M.,  on  the  19th  of 
May,  the  day  of  his  arrival  before  Yicksburg.  Sherman, 
with  his  corps  (the  15th),  by  a  vigorous  attack  gained  a 
position  within  the  rebel  works,  and  McClernand  and  Me 
Pherson,  with  their  troops  (the  13th  and  17th  corps),  also 
advanced  to  positions  which  were  sheltered  from  the  fire  of 
the  besieged  garrison. 

The  second  assault — on  the  22d  of  May — was  ordered  to 
begin  at  ten  o'clock  A.  M.,  and  Porter  bombarded  the  city 
in  front  with  his  gunboats,  from  seven  to  half  past  eleven 
A.  M.  The  assaults  in  the  rear  were  neither  simultaneous, 
nor,  on  account  of  the  difficulties  of  the  ground,  well  sup- 
ported by  the  "forlorn  hopes."  Lawler's  brigade,  of  Me- 
demand's  corps,  led  the  assault  on  the  left,  and  found  one 
of  the  forts  in  par4;  gained,  to  be  divided  by  a  breastwork,  in 
the  rea  of  which  *;he  rifle  pita  commanding  it  sent  forth  a 


872      INTERVIEW   BETWEEN*   GRANT   AND   PEMBERTON. 

destructive  fire  into  th  3  Unionists.  On  the  parapet  of  an 
other  fort  to  the  right  of  this,  the  Union  flag  was  planted 
by  the  troops  of  Benton  and  Burbridge,  but  these  brigades 
were  repulsed ;  shells,  with  lighted  fuses,  being  hurled  upon 
them  by  the  enemy.  The  attack  on  these  forts,  in  a  despe- 
rate struggle  for  five  hours,  resulted  in  heavy  losses,  and 
General  Grant  saw  that  McClernand's  assault  would  be 
unsuccessful.  Nevertheless,  at  the  earnest  and  repeated 
request  of  the  latter  for  reinforcements,  he  (Grant)  sent 
him  McArthur's  and  Quinby's  divisions,  which  had  only 
the  effect  of  increasing  the  number  of  killed  and  wounded. 
The  assault  failed,  and  the  losses  were  heavy,  being  one 
thousand  killed  and  wounded. 

Grant  now  determined  to  advance  by  regular  approaches, 
and  in  a  close  siege  to  cut  off  all  the  enemy's  supplies  and 
reinforcements.  He  now  received  information  of  the  diffi- 
culty which  Johnston  was  experiencing  in  raising  an  army 
strong  enough  to  attack  him.  The  Union  position  was  ren- 
dered safe  by  reinforcements  from  Memphis,  Helena,  and 
Louisville,  and  investing  the  city  yet  more  closely,  Grant 
made  his  approaches  with  rapidity  and  success,  his  works 
being  finally  but  twenty  yards  from  those  of  the  enemy.  A 
deficiency  of  engineer  officers  was  met  by  Captains  Prince 
aiid  Comstock,  and  Lieutenant-colonel  Wilson  (of  Grant's 
staff1),  who  gained,  in  a  short  time,  considerable  skill  in  mil- 
itary engineering.  Johnston  approached  as  near  as  the  Big 
Black,  but  never  ventured  to  attack  Grant's  forces.  The 
saps  were  ready  on  the  3d  of  July,  and  the  final  assault  was 
appointed  for  the  6th.  It  was  to  be  followed  by  a  vigorous 
pursuit  of  the  forces  under  Johnston. 

On  the  3d  of  July,  General  Pemberton,  who  commanded 
the  rebel  forces  in  Vicksburg,  proposed,  by  a  letter  to  Gen- 
eral Grant,  an  armistice,  and  the  appointment  of  commision 
ers  to  arrange  terms  of  capitulation  of  the  place.  Grant, 
however,  would  listen  to  nothing  but  an  unconditional  sur- 
render. Midway  between  the  lines,  under  a  large  oak,  and 
within  sight  of  the  two  armies,  a  personal  interview  took 
place,  on  the  4th  of  July,  between  Grant  and  Pemberton.  In 
a  note  sent  by  the  fo-mer,  it  was  said  that  the  unconditional 
surrender  of  Vicksburg  and  its  garrison  would  be  required, 
bat  that  the  troops  would  be  paroled,  and  permitted  tc 
inarch  out  of  the  lines ;  the  officers  being  allowed  to  take 
*ith  them  their  regime*  \tal  clothing,  and  the  staflj  field,  and 


SURRENDER   OF    VICKSBURG,  878 

cavalry  officers  also  one  horse  each.  The  terms  were  ac- 
cepted, and  on  the  day  of  the  National  Jubilee,  amid  the 
enthusiastic  shouts  of  the  brave  troops,  the  stars  and  stripes 
waved  in  triumph  on  the  fortifications  of  Yicksburg. 

Grant  thus  sums  up  the  results  of  this  campaign.  "  The 
defeat  of  the  enemy  in  five  battles  outside  of  Vicksburg ; 
the  occupation  of  Jackson,  the  capital  of  Mississippi,  and  the 
capture  of  Vicksburg  and  its  garrison,  and  munitions  of 
war  ;  a  loss  to  the  enemy  of  thirty-seven  thousand  prisoners, 
jmong  whom  were  fifteen  general  officers  ;  at  least  ten  thou- 
sand killed  and  wounded,  and  among  the  killed,  Generals 
Tracy,  Tilghman,  and  Green ;  and  hundreds,  and  perhaps 
thousands  of  stragglers,  who  can  never  be  collected  and  re- 
organized. Arms  and  munitions  of  war  for  an  army  of 
sixty  thousand  men  have  fallen  into  our  hands  (there  were 
two  hundred  and  twenty  cannon,  of  which  forty-two  were 
guns  of  heavy  calibre,  and  of  the  very  best  make,  and  sev- 
enty-one thousand  stand  of  small  arms,  of  which  fifty  thou- 
sand were  Enfield  rifles,  in  the  original  English  packages), 
besides  a  large  amount  of  other  public  property,  consisting 
i>f  railroads,  locomotives,  cars,  steamboats,  cotton,  etc.,  and 
much  was  destroyed  to  prevent  our  capturing  it." 

The  garrison  of  Vicksburg  had  subsisted  for  three  weeks 
mostly  on  mule  meat,  the  supplies  were  exhausted,  and  the 
expected  assault  could  not  have  been  sustained.  The  Fed 
eral  losses,  in  this  series  of  battles,  were  one  thousand  two 
hundred  and  forty-three  killed,  seven  thousand  and  ninety 
five  wounded,  and  five  hundred  and  thirty -seven  missing; 
total,  eight  thousand  eight  hundred  and  seventy-five.  Half 
the  wounded  received  but  slight  injuries,  and  returned  to 
duty  in  a  short  time.  The  rebel  leaders  violated  their 
promises,  and  many  paroled  prisoners,  without  being  ex- 
changed, returned  to  the  army  to  fight  against  the  Union. 

After  this  great  victory,  General  Sherman  pursued  Johu 
ston  across  the  Big  Black,  and  on  the  14th  invested  Jackson, 
where  the  latter  general  was  strongly  intrenched.  On  the 
18th  he  captured  the  place,  losing,  in  the  attack  of  that  and 
the  day  previous,  one  thousand  men.  He  captured  seven 
hundred  and  sixty-four  prisoners,  two  rifled  guns,  and  a 
great  quantity  of  ammunition,  and  destroyed  almost  all  the 
equipments  of  the  New  Orleans  and  NnrtherD,  and  thf 
Jackson,  Meridian,  and  Central  railroads. 

a 


574  OPERATIONS   AGAINST   PORT  HUDSON. 

General  Ransom,  with  twelve  hundred  men,  proceeded  on 
the  6th  of  July  to  Natchez,  and  crossing  the  river,  captured 
many  prisoners,  among  whom  were  five  officers;  a  nine  gun 
battery,  four  of  which  were  ten  pounder  Parrotts,  and  seized 
two  hundred  and  fifty-seven  boxes  of  ammunition.  He  also 
captured  five  thousand  head  of  Texas  cattle,  and  four  thou 
sand  hogsheads  of  sugar. 

Port  Hudson  was  strongly  defended  on  the  water  front 
by  eight  batteries,  mounting  twenty-five  guns,  of  which  two 
were  one  hundred  and  twenty  pounders,  and  the  rest  twenty- 
four,  thirty-two,  and  forty-two  pounders.  The  defences  on 
the  land  side,  were  four  lines  of  fortifications,  mounting 
nearly  forty  heavy  guns,  and  having  an  abatis  in  front 
The  garrison,  under  General  Franklin  Gardner,  numbered 
seven  thousand  men.  On  the  25th  of  May,  General  Banka 
forced  the  enemy  from  the  first  line  of  works,  and  General 
Weitzel  having  arrived  with  his  brigade  on  the  26th,  an 
assault  was  made  next  day,  at  six  o'clock  A.  M.,  by  artillery. 
The  guns  of  Admiral  Farragut  opened  fire  on  the  water 
oatteries  above  and  below  almost  simultaneously,  and  the 
Dornbardment  continued  during  the  day.  At  ten  o'clock, 
General  Weitzel,  with  his  own  brigade,  portions  of  Grover's 
and  Emory's  divisions,  and  two  colored  regiments,  under 
Colonel  Paine,  assaulted  the  enemy's  works,  and  after  a  bat- 
tle of  six  hours,  forced  their  lines,  crossed  Big  Sandy  creek, 
and  captured  a  redoubt  mounting  six  heavy  guns,  near 
Foster's  creek.  The  action  was  very  severe,  and  the  colored 
troops  fought  with  such  daring  courage,  as  to  elicit  the 
highest  commendation  from  the  commanding  general.  Gen- 
eral Sherman  led  the  assault  on  the  left  and  centre  with 
great  resolution,  but  less  success.  There  were  good  hopes, 
however,  that  the  reduction  of  the  place  would  soon  occur. 
The  losses  in  killed,  wounded,  and  missing,  were  one  thou- 
sand. It  is  probable  that  the  colored  troops  here  taken 
prisoners,  were  put  tc  death  by  their  captors,  as  they  were 
never  afterward  returned  to  the  Federals. 

A  second  assault  took  place  on  the  14th  of  June,  by  the 
divisions  of  Weitzel,  Grover,  and  Paine,  but  the  inequality 
of  the  ground  prevented  simultaneous  action.  Augur's 
division,  meanwhile,  by  a  feint,  drew  off  the  attention  of  the 
enemy,  but  the  assault  was  unsuccessful,  the  loss,  in  killed, 
wounded,  and  prisoners,  amounting  to  one  thousand  men 


ITS   CLOSE    INVESTMENT   AXD   SURRENDER  375 

A  charge  made  on  the  17th,  v  as  also  unsuccessful,  and  tne 
troops  engaged  again  met  with  a  severe  repulse.  The  siege, 
however,  continued  to  be  pressed  with  ardor,  and  the  garri- 
son was  eventually  reduced  to  great  straits  for  want  of  food. 
On  the  7th  of  July,  news  carne  of  the  capture  of  Vicksburg, 
and  General  Gardner,  the  Confederate  commander,  at  once 
proposed  a  surrender,  which  took  place  on  the  8th  the 
stronghold  being  occupied  by  the  Federal  forces  on  the  9th. 

General  Banks  thereby  captured  six  thousand  two  hun- 
Ired  and  thirty-three  prisoners,  fifty-one  pieces  of  artillery, 
two  steamers,  four  thousand  eight  hundred  pounds  of  pow- 
der, five  thousand  small  arms,  and  one  hundred  and  fifty 
thousand  rounds  of  cannon  ammunition. 

"With  the  surrender  of  Port  Hudson,  the  triumph  of  the 
rebels  in  the  fruitful  "Attakapas  country"  came  to  an  end, 
and  they  speedily  escaped  to  western  Louisiana.  Port  Hud- 
son was  now  garrisoned  by  colored  troops,  and  became  the 
camp  of  instruction  for  colored  regiments,  under  General 
Ullman.  After  the  fall  of  the  stronghold,  General  Banks 
returned  to  New  Orleans. 

During  the  siege  of  the  latter  place,  General  Banks  was 
obliged,  for  a  time,  to  abandon  the  Teche  county,  and  the 
rebels,  seven  thousand  strong,  appeared  on  the  19th  of  June 
at  Terrebonne,  tore  up  the  track  of  the  Opelousas  railroad, 
and  attacked  the  Union  troops  at  Lafourche,  but  were  re- 
pulsed with  loss. 

They  next  attacked  Brashear  City,  the  location  where  werd 
large  stores,  a  hospital,  and  a  convalescent  camp.  The  gar 
rison  was  one  thousand  strong,  and  the  sick  and  wounded 
in  the  hospital,  amounted  to  three  thousand  five  hundred 
and  thirteen.  The  attack  was  made  in  front  and  rear,  and 
the  patriots  were  compelled  to  surrender,  the  greater  part  of 
the  soldiers  being  paroled.  In  a  large  carnp  of  freedmen, 
chiefly  old  men,  women,  and  children,  a  most  inhuman  and  in- 
discriminate massacre  was  perpetrated.  More  than  two  thou- 
eand  helple.'-s  people  were  the  victims  of  this  horrid  cruelty. 
A  month  p:eviously,  a  body  of  five  hundred  negroes  deter- 
-nined  to  reach  the  patriot  camp  and  enlist  as  soldiers.  At 
St.  Martinsville,  on  their  way,  they  demanded  the  surrender 
of  the  place,  and  being  met  by  some  professed  Unionists 
with  the  national  flag,  they  were  persuaded  by  these  false 
friends  to  lay  down  their  arms,  consisting  of  old  shot  guna 


876      .  THE   ATTfiMPT   ON   HELENA. 

and  pistols.  On  doing  so,  they  were  seized,  and  every  one 
hung  on  the  spot.  Such  was  the  spirit  of  rebellion,  and 
fully  in  keeping  with  the  diabolical  atrocities  of  worse  than 
Indian  cruelty  which  are  exhibited  in  the  scenes  before 
recorded,  and  others  of  which  mention  must  be  made  here- 
after. 

While  the  siege  of  Vicksburg  was  in  progress,  the  corps 
assigned  for  the  defence  of  northeastern  Arkansas,  com- 
manded by  General  Prentiss,  whose  head-quarters  were  at 
Helena,  was  greatly  reduced,  and  numbered  scarcely  four 
thousand  men.  The  gunboat  Tyler  was  in  port,  and  waa 
found  of  valuable  service.  The  combined  force  of  the  ene- 
my, under  Holmes,  Price,  and  Marmaduke,  consisting  of 
fifteen  thousand  men,  made  an  attack  on  the  position,  on  the 
4th  of  July,  at  daylight,  and  after  a  severe  struggle  of  two 
hours,  succeeded  in  capturing  one  of  the  outworks,  mounting 
four  guns.  The  Tyler,  having  got  their  range,  dispersed 
them  with  terrible  slaughter,  by  huge  shells  from  her  Parrott 
guns.  Colonel  Clayton  completely  routed  them  in  an  ap- 
proach from  the  north,  and  the  gunbo  again  prevented 
their  advance  on  the  south.  They  then  attempted  to  shell 
the  town,  but  General  Prentiss  gallantly  repulsed  them  in 
repeated  charges,  and  the  foiled  enemy,  beaten  at  every 
point,  retreated  toward  Little  Bock,  the  capital  of  the  State, 
with  a  loss  in  killed  and  wounded,  of  fifteen  hundred  men, 
and  eleven  hundred  prisoners.  The  patriot  loss  was  two 
hundred  and  thirty.  This  was  the  last  expiring  effort  of 
the  rebels  on  the  Federal  posts  on  the  Mississippi  river,  as 
after  this  defeat,  no  attempt  was  made  of  any  considerable 
importance. 

During  the  eleven  months,  ending  July  15th,  1863,  the 
country  had  made  great  progress  in  bringing  the  rebellion 
to  a  close.  Two  hundred  thousand  square  miles,  which,  less 
than  a  year  ago,  were  under  the  power  of  the  Confederacy, 
had  been  regained.  The  Mississippi  was  again  open,  the 
blockade  close  and  effectual,  arid  the  Confederate  scrip  ren- 
dered almost  valueless.  The  news  of  the  surrender  of  Vicks- 
burg, following  so  soon  upon  the  cheering  intelligence  that 
the  rebel  hordes  had  been  foiled  in  their  attempt  to  invade 
the  North,  and  had  sustained  a  terrible  defeat  at  Gettysburg; 
strengthened  the  hearts  and  hands  of  the  loyal  people.  The 
"  Confederac  7"  was  cut  in  twain  and  had  received  a  blow 


PROGRESS    OF   THE    WAR.  877 

from  which  it  could   never  recover,  being   afterward  dis 
trusted  both  at  home  and  abroad. 

Bloody  fields  and  desperate  struggleo  were  yet  to  come, 
but  the  heart  of  every  patriot  was  cheered  ^'ith  the  general 
prospect.  Foreign  CDuntries  began  to  feel  that  tin  power  of 
the  Government  was  capable  of  putting  down  rebellion,  and 
the  oppressed  people  of  the  South,  who  were  attached  fe>  tho 
old  flag,  and  had  been  cruelly  maltreated  by  the  secessionists, 
saw  the  day  approaching  in  which  the  force  of  A.he  rebellion 
would  be  broken  in  pieces.  The  poor  bondsmen,  >'ho 
groaned  under  the  dreadful  yoke  of  slavery,  saw  deliverance 
drawing  nigh,  and  thanked  God  for  the  hope  of  .-no  day 
being  free. 

Having  already  sustained  such  terrible  conflicts,  and  par- 
mounted  such  immense  difficulties,  the  nation  felt  hope  ir,  the 
future  success  of  our  armies,  and  magnified  the  goodness  of 
Him,  whose  Providence  was  guiding  the  affairs  of  the  peo- 
ple, and  whose  Omnipotence  was  raising  the  instruments 
with  which  to  break  the  power  of  the  rebellion,  and  crush 
ito  hydra  >.ead  as  with  a  single  blow 


CHAPTER  XXXVDL 

JULY  —  AUGUST,  1888. 


or  TH2  REBEL  POWER  IN  ARKANCAS  —  rut  QCJ'SSII.V&.B  AND 

BD811*JiA.3KI!RO  —  QUANTREL  —  LAWRENCE  MA8SACRK  —  ^TIXXPTS  TO  MUB- 
P«B  UlL/ERAL  BLUNT  —  RAID  IN  MISSOURI  —  MORGAN'S  BAID  INTO  KEN- 
TUCKY, INDIANA,  AND  OHIO  —  HIS  CAPTURE  AND  ESCAPE--  TFE  REiaN  OF 
TXRKOB  IN  NEW  YORK,  AND  SUPPRESSION  OF  THE  RIOTf  -  LOOSES  OF  LIFt 
AND  PEOPERTY  —  DEPARTMENT  OF  TE>'  SOUTH—  GILKOEK  AND  DAHLGREN 
—  1OHRI8  ISLAND  —  BOMBARDJIE  <:T  OF  F03T  WACtXKR  —  THI  "  SWAMP  AN- 
OT5L"  —  >.SSAULT  ON  SUMTEB  —  J>i  aAQS  TO  ITS  WAL^S  —  EVACUATION  OF 
}  ORRIS  ISLAND. 


the  fall  of  Vickflbitrg,  the  Government  determined 
to  free  Arkansas  from  the  enemy,  and  aid  the  loyal  citizens, 
whvaO  ?ts,te  had  been  dravn  out  of  the  Union  by  .1  fala-i  vote. 
Acc<W  ing^,  General  Steele  vras  ordered,  with  si  lai  ge  force,  to 
advuncc  &bn  Helena  toward'  Duval's  Bluf£  on  the  "White 
river.  Being  joined  here  by  General  Davidson,  and  having 
established  a  hospital  and  base  of  supplies,  General  Steele 
moved  forward  on  the  1st  of  August,  1863,  and  encountering 
the  rebel  army,  near  the  line  of  the  Bayou  Metoe,  drove  it  back 
to  Little  Rock.  Having  crossed  the  Arkansas  below  this 
place,  Steele  moved  with  part  of  his  supplies  to  Arkadelphia, 
the  Confederate  base  and  despot  of  supplies.  General  Holmes, 
the  rebel  commander  in  Arkansas,  sent  ^Marmadnke,  with 
his  cavalry,  to  check  the  Union  advance,  but  the  latter  gen- 
eral was  put  to  flight,  and  Holmes,  alter  destroying  as  much 
property  as  possible  at  Little  Rock,  fell  back  rapidly  on 
Arkadelphia.  General  Steele,  on  the  10th  of  September, 
entered  Little  Rock,  captured  one  thou^aud  prisoners,  and  a 
large  quantity  of  stores,  and  continued  his  pursuit  of  the 
rebel  army  toward  the  south. 

On  the  25th  of  October,  Marmiul  uke,  with  three  thousand 
men,  attacked  the  garrison  at  Pine  BlufT,  consisting  of  five 
hundred  and  fifty  men,  under  Colonel  Clayton.  In  an  action 
of  five  hours,  the  rebels  were  defeated,  with  the  loss  of  two 
hundred  and  fifty  men.  On  this  day,  also,  the  Unionists  oc 
cupied  Arkadelphia,  while  the  shattered  rebel  columns  were 
crossing  the  Red  river.  The  power  of  the  Government  was 
(378) 


GUERILLAS    AND    BUSHWHACKERS — QUANTREL.      379 

now,  with  two  slight  exceptions,  in  the  southwest  and  north- 
west, supreme  in  the  State  of  Arkansas.  The  northwestern 
portion  of  the  State,  and  the  Indian  Territory  adjacent,  since 
the  outbreak  of  rebellion,  had  nourished  a  band  of  bush- 
whackers, robbers,  and  murderers,  who  committed  depreda- 
tions and  atrocities  upon  the  loyal  inhabitants. 

The  most  atrocious  of  these  reprobates  was  one  Quan- 
trel,  a  villain,  plunderer,  and  cutthroat.  On  the  21st 
of  August,  of  this  year,  he  attacked  the  city  of  Lawrence, 
Kansas,  with  a  lawless  band  of  eight  hundred  men,  and  mur- 
dered one  hundred  and  twenty-five  citizens  in  cold  blood. 
The  dwellings  and  stables  were  burned,  after  being  plun- 
dered, and  robbed  of  their  contents.  Nearly  one  hundred 
men  of  this  cruel  guerilla  band  were  slain  by  a  mounted 
force,  under  General  James  H.  Lane,  but  the  rest  escaped. 

One  of  the  severest  scourges  of  the  guerillas  was  General 
Fames  G.  Blunt,  of  Kansas,  who  punished  as  many  of  them 
as  came  in  his  way,  with  great  rigor.  This  made  them  re- 
solve on  his  murder.  In  a  battle  fought  in  the  Indian  Ter- 
ritory, in  July,  he  had  attacked  Cooper  and  Standwaite,  with 
six  thousand  marauders,  and  completely  routed  them.  Quan- 
trel  had  fought  in  this  battle,  and  eager  to  avenge  his  de- 
feat, he  attacked  Blunt,  on  the  5th  of  October,  between 
Forts  Smith  and  Scott,  the  latter  being  escorted  by  only  one 
hundred  men.  The  rebels,  three  hundred  strong,  were 
dressed  in  Federal  uniforms,  and,  at  pistol  range,  made  a 
fierce  attack  upon  the  escort,  who  broke  and  fled ;  but  sev- 
enty-eight of  their  number,  among  whom  was  a  son  of  Gen- 
oral  Curtis,  surrendering,  were  inhumanly  murdered. 

Blunt,  and  fifteen  men,  cut  their  way  out  by  a  bold  charge, 
and  escaped  south,  to  where  Colonel  Pond  was  stationed  with 
his  regiment.  Great  rejoicing  prevailed  among  Quantrel  and 
his  associates,  at  the  supposed  death  of  General  Blunt. 

The  attempts  of  the  guerillas  had  signally  failed  in  Ar- 
kansas, and  Cabell,  Marmaduke,  Coffee,  and  Shelby  their 
chiefs,  determined  on  a  raid  into  Missouri,  which  was  deemed 
a  more  promising  field  for  their  operations.  Collecting 
seven  thousand  guerillas,  Marmaduke  and  Cabell  left  the 
Indian  Territory,  on  the  1st  of  October,  and  crossed  the  Ar- 
kansas, east  of  Fort  Smith,  where  the  former  remained,  with 
part  of  the  forces  in  reserve,  while  Cabell  and  Shelby  pro- 
feeding  onward,  were  joined  by  General  Coffee,  at  Crooked 


880  MORGAN'S  GREAT  RAID. 

Prairie,  with. a  large  force.  Murdering  and  plundering  on 
their  way,  they  were  closely  pursued  at  Booneville,  on  the 
Missouri  river,  and  at  Merrill's  Crossing,  on  the  Salt  Fork; 
were  attacked,  on  October  12th,  by  the  Missouri  State  Militia, 
under  General  E.  B.  Brown.  A  brisk  action  of  several  hours 
resulted,  in  which  they  were  completely  routed,  and  pur- 
iued  by  General  Brown,  who  sent  Lieutenant-colonel  Lazear 
to  cut  off  their  retreat.  Hemmed  in,  they  lost  one  hundred 
and  fifty  killed,  or  se\  erely  wounded,  and  many  prisoners, 
two  guns,  and  all  their  train.  The  shattered  remnant  escaped 
to  Fayetteville,  where  Marmaduke  failed  to  reorganize  this 
desperate  and  severely  punished  band. 

The  guerilla  John  Morgan,  whose  atrocities  in  Kentucky 
rendered  him  notorious,  moved  on  the  24th  of  June,  with  a 
selected  force  of  three  thousand  five  hundred  mounted  men, 
and  a  battery,  from  Jamestown,  on  the  Cumberland.  To 
draw  off  the  Union  forces,  who  were  watching  his  move- 
ments, he  made  a  feint  of  attacking  Tompkinsville,  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  Cumberland,  in  Kentucky,  and  crossing 
at  Burksville,  thirty  miles  higher  up  the  river,  proceeded 
toward  Columbia,  Kentucky,  which  he  reached  at  noon  on 
July  3d.  Advancing  to  Green  river  on  the  4th,  he  at- 
tempted to  cross,  but  encountered  Colonel  Moore,  with  two 
hundred  men,  of  the  Twenty-fifth  Michigan,  defended  by 
earthworks.  Morgan's  demand  of  surrender,  made  upon  the 
latter,  received  a  spirited  reply.  Repeated  charges  on  the 
works  were  gallantly  repulsed,  and  the  foiled  rebels  retired 
with  a  loss  of  thirty  killed,  many  wounded,  and  one  hundred 
captured.  Morgan  then  crossed  higher  up  the  river,  reached 
New  Market  on  the  evening  of  the  same  day,  and  moving 
next  morning  on  Lebanon,  which  was  defended  by  four  hun- 
dred men,  commanded  by  Colonel  Hanson,  compelled  it  to 
surrender.  Driving  his  prisoners  before  him  to  Springfield, 
over  ten  miles,  in  one  hour  and  a  half,  and  shooting  down 
those  unable  to  keep  up  with  his  cavalry,  he  paroled  the 
rest,  moved  on  Bardstown,  and  was  there  kept  at  bay  by 
twenty  men,  of  the  Fourth  United  States'  cavalry,  who  fought 
from  a  strong  stable.  Eapidly  pursued,  he  reached  Shep- 
herdsville,  on  Salt  river,  advanced  on  Lawrenceville  and 
Brandenburg,  wht  re  he  seized  the  steamer  McComb,  and  by 
signals  of  distresa  lecoyed  and  captured  the  steamer  Alice 
Dean. 


MORGAN'S  GREAT  RAID.  881 

The  crossing  of  his  men  on  the  Ohio  took  two  days,  and 
on  the  8th,  two  river  gunboats  opened  on  them;  but  Morgan 
returned  the  fire  with  his  rifled  guns,  crossed  with  his  troops 
and  was  now  on  the  Indiana  side ;  General  Hobson,  and  a 
part  of  General  Judah's  cavalry,  being  in  hot  pursuit.  Mor 
gan  moved  on  Corydon,  defeated  the  nome  guards,  some  of 
whom  were  killed,  plundered  the  town,  and  levied  a  heavj 
gum  on  the  factory  owners.  Early  on  the  10th,  he  arrived 
at  Salem,  which  he  plundered,  and  moving  to  "Vienna,  on  the 
Jeffcrsonville  railroad,  destroyed  a  railroad  bridge,  and 
rested  during  the  night.  On  the  evening  of  the  llth,  he  de- 
manded of  Colonel  Lowe,  who  was  stationed  at  V  ernon,  witn 
twelve  hundred  militia,  the  surrender  of  the  post.  It  was  re- 
fused, and  Morgan  threatened  to  bombard  the  town.  Moving 
off  in  the  night,  however,  he  proceeded  to  Dupont's  Station 
and  Versailles,  and  from  thence  to  Harrison,  which  he  plun 
dered  and  burned.  At  the  latter  place,  a  large  number  of 
valuable  horses  replaced  the  jaded  animals  of  his  men. 

The  State  militia  hastened  to  defend  Cincinnati,  but  though 
Morgan  was  within  three  miles  at  one  time,  he  was  too  wily 
to  attempt  an  attack  on  that  city.  He  left  Harrison  on  the 
13th  of  July,  burned  the  bridge  over  the  Whitewater  river, 
crossed  the  Great  Miami  by  the  Miamitown,  Baltimore,  and 
Coleraine  bridges,  each  of  which  he  burned,  and  encamped 
at  night  within  ten  miles  of  Cincinnati.  Next  day  he  pro- 
ceeded on  his  course  through  Glendale  and  Springfield, 
threatened  Camps  Dennison  and  Shady,  and  was  driven  off 
by  the  convalescents,  who  fired  on  him  from  rifle  pits. 

Still  advancing,  he  passed  through  Batavia,  and  arrived  at 
three  P.  M.,  on  the  14th,  at  Williamsburg,  from  which,  mov 
mg  on  to  Sardinia,  he  burned  two  bridges  in  his  rear,  and 
bivouacked  for  the  night. 

General  Hobson  was  now  twelve  miles  behind,  his  men 
wearied,  and  on  jaded  horses.  General  Judah's  cavalry  had 
gone  up  the  river  in  steamboats,  to  cut  oft'  the  retreat  south. 
Military  committees  had  the  roads  obstructed,  and  gunboats 
patrolled  the  Ohio  river.  The  guerilla  chief  now  became 
anxious  to  return  with  his  plunder  to  Kentucky.  At  Jack- 
sonville, in  Adams  county,  he  was  rejoined  by  his  brother, 
Colonel  Dick  Morgan,  who  had  been  sent  toward  the  Ohio, 
to  find  a  place  where  a  safe  crossing  could  be  effected,  and 
was  informed  by  him  of  the  preparations  to  intercept  hit 
retreat  in  the  way  of  the  Ohio  river. 


882  MORGAN'S  GREAT  RAID. 

Morgan  now  passed  through  and  plundered  Winchester 
Jackson,  Wheatbridge,  and  Jacksonville,  and  then  proceeded 
toward  Jasper,  on  the  Scioto.     The  roads  were  obstructed, 
but  by  the  ruse  of  a  false  telegram,  he  succeeded  in  reach 
Ing  Jasper  on  the  16th.     Here,  after  plundering  the  town, 
aud    murdering    several    citizens,   he    heard    of  the    ap 
proach  of  Ilobson,  and  hastened  on,  passing  ih?QC.  Ji  Pike 
ion  in  the  evening,  and  reached  Jackaoe  £3  c  yen  p.  M. 
On  the  17th  he  advanced  to  Berlin,  v^are  ^:   vras  defeated 
with  the  loss  of  twelve  killed  and  \\    ?^  „<*!,  in  an  action 
with  the  militia,  under  Colonel  Runkia.    He  moved  in  two 
columns  on  Pomeroy,  and  found  the  roads  blockaded,  while 
collecting  forces  were  hemming  him  in,  and  the  gunboats 
rendered  the  passage  of  the  Ohio  perilous. 

Passing  through  Chester,  the  guerillas  reached  Buffington 
ford,  opposite  an  island  of  that  name,  at  three  A.  M.,  on  July 
19th.  Here  the  main  force  bivouacked.  General  Judah 
came  up,  and  opened  on  the  enemy  with  artillery,  while  the 
cavalry  charged  them.  General  Ilobson  arrived  at  the 
same  moment,  and  made  a  fierce  attack  on  the  rear,  the  in- 
fantry making  a  simultaneous  assault.  The  gunboat  Moose, 
and  transport  Alleghany  were  training  their  guns  on  the 
foe,  from  Buffington  Island.  About  eight  hundred  guerillas 
now  laid  down  their  arms,  but  Morgan  fled  with  the  re- 
mainder of  his  band,  leaving  all  his  plunder  behind,  and 
moved  rapidly  up  the  river  to  Belleville  ford,  fourteen  miles 
above  Buffington  Island.  In  an  attempt  to  cross  at  dark, 
the  river  being  deep,  about  fifty  perished  in  the  stream,  and 
three  hundred  escaping,  found  their  way  to  the  rebel  lines 
in  southwestern  Virginia.  The  gunboats  drove  back  the 
.  eat,  and  among  them  Morgan,  who  proceeded  to  Harrison- 
ville,  and  from  thence  toward  the  river,  in  order  to  make 
another  attempt  at  crossing.  They  were  brought  to  a  halt 
by  General  Shackelford,  with  a  brigade  of  Hobson's  division, 
near  Chester,  below  Pomeroy.  Morgan,  sending  in  a  flag 
of  truce,  proposed  to  surrender  unconditionally,  but  made 
his  escape  while  negotiations  were  pending;  and  while  Co1 
onel  Coleman,  with  four  hundred  men  were  captured,  the 
guerilla  chief,  with  eight  hundred  of  his  band,  reached  Er 
vington,  twenty  miles  from  Gallipolis,  on  the  morning  of 
the  21st.  Here  Major  Sontag  capitulated  with  two  hun 
dred  and  lit v  militia,  and  at  Berlin,  Major  Slain  alao  BUT 
rendered 


DBFKAT,  CAPTURE,  ANI>  ESCAPE.  o8# 

At  New  Lisbon,  on  the  2Stli,  Major  Way,  in  a  spirited 
action  of  an  hour,  completely  routed  the  rebels,  with,  a  loss 
on  their  side  of  two  hundred  in  killed  wounded  and  pris- 
oners. Morgan  and  the  rest  of  the  band  were  pursued,  and 
oaptured  by  Major  McCrea,  at  Smith's  Ferry.  The  leaders, 
among  them  Basil  Duke  and  others,  were  sent  to  the  Ohio 
State  Penitentiary,  from  which  Morgan  and  six  others.  OK 
the  26th  of  November,  1863,  dug  their  Avay  out  and  escaped 
Some  were  retaken,  but  Morgan  escaped  to  Tennessee, 
raised  a  new  band,  and  committed  fresh  depredations  upon 
the  loyal  people,  until  finally  an  effectual  check  was  put  to 
his  career  by  the  bullet  of  a  private  soldier. 

Though  the  discussion  of  political  questions  in  the  ab- 
stract is  generally  eschewed,  yet  historical  truth  requires 
mention  of  certain  unpalatable  facts,  the  omission  of  which 
would  render  this  work  incomplete.  The  rebellion  had 
many  northern  sympathizers,  and  in  May  and  June,  1863, 
artful  demagogues  stirred  up  the  "lewd  fellows  of  the  baser 
sort"  to  resist  the  draft,  and  deprive  the  negroes  of  work 
under  these  pretexts  being  concealed  the  design  of  favoring 
the  cause  of  rebellion.  An  unsuccessful  attempt  to  stir 
up  the  lower  classes  to  resist  the  Government,  had  been 
frustrated  in  Philadelphia,  Boston,  Troy,  and  other  cities. 
By  a  riot,  in  which  life  and  property  were  destroyed  in  New 
York  city,  where  the  mob  ruled  in  dreadful  carnival  for 
two  days,  it  was  expected  that  the  Government  would  thereby 
be  compelled  to  draw  off  its  troops  from  the  actual  fields  of 
operations,  in  order  that  citizens  might  be  protected. 

On  Saturday,  July  the  llth  (1863),  all  was  quiet  in  New 
York.  The  prominent  rioters  met  the  next  day,  and  on 
Monday,  the  13th,  a  deputy  marshal  in  the  Ninth  District, 
who  was  about  commencing  the  draft,  was  beaten,  left  for 
dead,  and  the  furniture  of  the  room  destroyed.  Then  eu 
sued  a  scene  which  baffles  all  description.  The  offices  of 
the  provost-marshals  were  burned,  telegraph  wires  aut> 
the  railroad  tracks  destroyed,  the  mayor's  house  plundered, 
thf»  colored  orphan  asylum  laid  in  ashes,  twenty-five  police- 
men killed,  and  one  hundred  wounded,  thirty  negroes  mur- 
dered, and  property  destroyed  to  the  amount  of  two  millions 
of  dollars.  The  reign  of  terror  was  prevalent  on  Tuesday 
and  some  regulars,  undei  General  Harvey  Brown,  had  three 
collisions  with  the  mob.  On  Wednesday,  a  few  militia 


884  DEPARTMENT  OF  THE  SOUTH. 

regiments  returned  from  Meade's  army,  and  the  New  York 
Seventh,  at  once  undertook  to  effectually  put  down  the  mob. 
Several  hundreds  of  the  rioters  were  killed  or  severely 
wounded ;  the  mob  was  dispersed,  and  the  ringleaders  ar- 
rested. D-iring  the  day,  Colonel  O'Brien  was  inhumanly 
murdered  by  the  rioters.  It  is  estimated  that  nearly  one 
thousand  persons  were  killed  or  wounded  by  the  military 
*nd  police,  during  the  continuance  of  this  dreadful  riot. 

Major  general  Dix  was  called  to  assume  command  of  the 
Department  of  the  East,  and  events  proved  that  the  appoint- 
ment was  judicious  and  satisfactory.  Divine  Providence 
preserved  the  North  both  from  rebels  in  open  arms,  and 
their  sympathizers  in  her  midst,  and  the  public  peace  was 
preserved. 

We  now  return  to  the  Department  of  the  South,  where 
repeated  attempts  were  made  to  capture  Charleston,  the 
cradle  of  secession.  On  the  sudden  death  of  Rear-admiral 
Foote,  Rear-admiral  John  A.  Dahlgren  was  appointed  to 
take  command  of  the  South  Atlantic  blockading  squadron  ; 
General  Hunter  being  superseded  in  the  command  of  the  land 
forces  by  Brigadier-general  Q.  A.  Gilmore.  The  prepara- 
tions for  an  assault  upon  the  fortifications  of  Morris  Island, 
were  completed  on  the  10th,  and  General  Strong's  brigade 
was  ordered  to  move  up  Folly  Island  creek  in  boats,  and 
land  on  the  south  end  of  Mori-is  Island.  The  landing  waa 
to  be  covered  by  shelling  the  enemy's  rifle  pits,  and  this 
task  was  entrusted  to  Lieutenant  Bunce,  with  four  howitzers. 
A  feigned  attack  was  to  be  made  on  James  Island,  by  Gen- 
enil  Terry,  who  was  to  proceed  up  the  Stono  river,  and 
engage  the  attention  of  the  enemy.  Some  of  the  batteries 
were  to  be  turn-ed  by  another  force  west  of  the  island.  At 
five  o'clock  A.  M.,  the  first  gun  was  fired,  and  the  foe 
taken  by  surprise.  The  first  ball  disabled  a  gun-carriage, 
scattering  the  astonished  enemy,  and  soon  the  masked  bat- 
teries were  hurling  deadly  bolts  into  the  works.  The  rebels 
fought  well,  but  their  guns  were  not  worked  with  precision. 
The  gunboats,  taking  up  a  good  position,  made  great  havoo 
among  them,  and  their  gunners  were  picked  off  by  the  ex- 
pert Federal  marksmen.  The  howitzer  boats  opened  fire  on 
the  rifle  pits,  near  Light-house  Inlet,  whereupon  the  rebels 
directed  their  fire-  upon  the  boats,  one  of  which  was  sunk. 
Lieutenant-colonel  Rodma  .  and  part  of  his  regiment — the 


BOMBARDMENT   OF    FORT    VT4GNER  S85" 

Seventh  CoLnecticut — were  the  first  to  land  un  Morris  Island, 
and,  under  a  scathing  fire,  they  carried  the  rifle  pits.  Gen- 
eral Strong,  meanwhile,  was  approaching  the  shore  with  tho 
Sixth  Connecticut,  and  landed  his  men  under  the  shelter  of 
the  sand  hills  of  the  place. 

"  The  men  sprang  forward  to  the  charge,  and,  taking  one 
battery  after  another,  pursued  the  routed  foe  to  the  woods. 
Colonel  Dandy,  with  the  One  Hundredth  New  Hampshire 
and  Colonel  S.  H.  Putnam,  with  part  of  the  Forty-eighth 
New  York,  landed  and  joined  in  the  pursuit  of  the  foe. 
When  within  the  range  of  Forts  Wagner  and  Gregg,  the 
Seventh  New  Hampshire,  which  had  never  before  been 
under  fire,  performed  its  duty  heroically,  and,  attacking  a 
battery  about  two  miles  further  up,  captured  it  in  a  gallapt 
charge,  and  turned  its  guns  on  the  enemy.  Ten  batteries 
fell  into  the  hands  of  the  Unionists,  and  the  enemy,  after 
burning  a  large  quantity  of  commissary  stores,  retreated. 
Many  of  the  guns,  and  the  larger  portion  of  the  cargo  of 
the  Ruby,  a  blockade-runner,  which  had  grounded  on  the 
beach,  were  captured,  as  were  also  one  hundred  and  thirty- 
nine  privates  and  eleven  commissioned  officers. 

After  some  needful  rest,  an  attack  was  to  be  made  on 
Forts  Wagner  and  Gregg.  Gilmore  put  General  Strong  in 
command  of  the  island.  Meanwhile,  the  gunboats,  about 
nine  o'clock,  opened  a  fire  upon  Fort  Wagner,  which  was 
vigorously  responded  to  by  the  enemy,  but  a  bombardment 
of  several  hours  was  attended  with  no  advantage  to  either 
side.  The  Catskill,  Admiral  Dahlgren's  flag-ship,  was  struck 
fifty-two  times,  but  sustained  little  damage.  The  prepara- 
tions were  completed  for  an  attack  on  the  forts  next  morn- 
ing, and  the  troops  bivouacked  during  the  night  on  the 
sand  hills  of  the  island.  On  the  llth,  at  early  dawn,  the 
Seventh  Connecticut,  Ninth  Maine,  and  Seventh  Pennsylva- 
nia regiments  moved  silently  onward,  and  encountered  the 
hostile  pickets,  who  gave  the  alarm,  so  that  a  destructive 
lire  met  the  advancing  Federal  columns.  They  moved 
steadily  forward,  however,  amid  a  shower  of  shells,  rifle 
balls,  and  hand-grenades,  surmounting  all  obstacles,  ami 
climb  sd  the  parapet,  entered  the  works,  and  fought  in  a 
hand  to  hand  encounter  with  the  enemy.  The  Seventh  Ccn- 
uecticut  led  the  charge  gallantly,  and  the  rebels  were  driven 
to  the  protectijn  of  the  inner  ramparts.  The  Seventy  -sixth 
33 


886  ASSAULT  ON   PORT    WAGNER. 

Pennsylyania,  under  Colonel  Hicks,  wavered  for  a  moment 
under  a  scathing  and  .murderous  fire,  and  then  rushed 
toward  the  parapet,  which  was  reached  by  few.  The  works 
were  too  strong  to  be  carried,  and  the  Ninth  Maine,  retreat- 
ing, left  the  Connecticut  Seventh  in  a  perilous  situation. 
The  brave  men  of  the  latter  were  compelled  to  retreat,  and 
in  a  race  for  life  were  mowed  down  by  the  dreadful  bolts 
from  the  enemy's  guns. 

A  week  was  now  spent  in  preparing  for  a  renewal  of 
the  conflict;  and  while  the  Confederates  strengthened  their 
works,  the  patriots  were  busy  in  throwing  up  intrenchments. 
General  Terry,  who  had  gone  to  make  a  diversion  on  James' 
Island,  landing  under  the  protection  of  five  gunboats,  en- 
countered and  routed  five  thousand  Georgia  troops  at  Seces- 
sionville,  from  which  he  drove  the  enemy,  with  the  loss  of 
three  hundred  men,  to  their  intrenchments. 

On  the  18th,  the  gunboats  Montauk,  Ironsides,  Catskill, 
Nantucket,  Weehawken,  and  Patapsco,  with  several  wooden 
vessels,  made  a  furious  assault  on  Fort  Wagner;  fifty-four 
guns  in  battery,  at  the  same  time  opening  a  tremendous  fire 
on  the  works.  The  engagement  continued  from  twelve  M. 
till  sunset,  but  the  cannonading  producing  comparatively 
little  effect,  the  fleet  retired. 

In  the  midst  of  a  severe  thunder-storm  which  followed, 
preparations  were  made  to  capture  the  fort  by  assault.  The 
perilous  enterprise  was  undertaken  by  three  brigades,  com- 
manded by  Generals  Strong  and  Stevenson,  and  Colonel 
Putnam.  The  tide  had  retired  from  the  hard  beach,  along 
which  the  Union  troops  moved  in  silence  amid  the  darkness. 
The  advance  was  held  by  the  gallant  Colonel  Shaw,  with 
the  Fifty-fourth  Massachusetts  (colored)  regiment.  The 
troops  who  followed  in  succession,  were  the  Sixth  Connecti- 
cut, the  Forty-eighth  New  York,  the  Third  New  Hamp 
shire,  the  Seventy-sixth  Pennsylvania,  and  Ninth  Maine 
regiments.  The  march  required  to  be  made  along  the  beach, 
exposed  to  the  murderous  fire  of  Wagner,  the  fierce  storm 
from  the  barbette  guns  of  Sumter,  and  the  enfilading  bat- 
teries on  Cumming's  Point.  It  was  one  of  the  most  despe- 
rate undertakings  which  can  possibly  be  conceived,  and 
soon  resulted  in  a  terrible  whirlwind  of  destruction.  The 
cie&d  and  dying  strewed  the  dangerous  path,  but  the  heroio 
troops,  defying  the  murderous  bolts  which  laid  their  corn 


FAILURE  OF  THE  ASSAULT.  887 

rades  low,  gained  the  parapet,  and  engaged  the  enemy  hand 
to  hand  in  a  terrible  struggle.  Grape  and  canister,  hand 
grenades,  and  other  deadly  missiles,  were  hurled  on  the 
patriots.  Death  stared  them  in  the  face,  and  yet,  with  the 
aublimest  heroism,  they  never  quailed,  but  grappled  fiercely 
with  the  foe.  Conspicuous  for  bravery  was  the  Massachu- 
setts colored  regiment,  which  lost  its  brave  colonel,  Shaw 
It  was  like  the  combats  of  demons.  The  night  was  pitchy 
dark ;  the  flash  of  the  dread  artillery  mingled  with  that 
of  lightning,  and  the  reports  of  cannon  and  musketry 
blended  with  the  violent  thunder-claps,  which  rolled  their 
reverberations  with  the  deafening  sound.  The  scene  waa 
one  of  terrible  grandeur,  but  the  brave  combatants  never 
quailed,  though  death  was  reaping  a  large  harvest  among 
them.  In  a  few  moments,  General  Strong,  Colonels  Shaw, 
Chatfield,  Barton,  Green,  Jackson,  and  many  patriot  officers, 
had  either  been  wounded  or  else  yielded  their  lives  a  sacri- 
fice at  the  shrine  of  their  beloved  country.  What  heroism 
of  ancient  ages  surpassed  theirs?  The  devotion  which  they 
exhibited  ranks  them  with  the  renowned  patriots,  whom  the 
poet  and  historian  have  glowingly  described.  "  Their  color- 
sergeant,"  says  an  eye-witness,  speaking  of  the  African 
regiment,  "  is  severely  wounded  in  the  thigh,  but,  falling 
upon  his  knees,  he  plants  the  flag  upon  the  parapet,  and 
lying  down,  holds  the  staff  firmly  in  his  hands.  Noble 
Carney  1"  When  this  wounded  patriot  entered  the  hospital, 
"  though  nearly  exhausted  with  the  loss  of  blood,  he  says, 
'Boys,  the  oklflag  never  touched  the  ground  f  " 

On  the  death  of  Colonel  Shaw,  his  regiment  (the  Fifty- 
fourth)  was  led  by  his  youthful  successor,  Colonel  Higgin- 
son,  and  acted  with  great  heroism.  The  Federal  troops  had 
now  forced  their  way  into  a  corner  of  the  fort,  and  for  an 
hour  held  it.  The  order  was  issued  to  retreat,  as  it  could 
be  retained  no  longer,  and  more  than  a  thousand  of  the 
enemy,  hitherto  concealed,  had  quietly  emerged  from  their 
bomb-proofs,  ready  for  the  fight.  The  troops  retired  in  the 
midnight  darkness,  bringing  off  their  wounded,  ami  leaving 
the  beach  covered  with  their  dead.  The  losses  in  this  san 
guinary  contest,  were  fifteen  hundred  in  killed,  wounded, 
and  missing.  Though  foiled  in  his  attempt  to  carry  Fort 
Wagner  by  assault,  General  Gilmore  was  not  discouraged, 
and  was  still  sanguine  of  ultimately  succeeding  in  his  design* 


388  "SWAMP  ANGEL" — EVACUATION  OF  MORRIS  ISLAND. 

Both  sides  now  spent  considerable  time  in  strengthening 
their  positions,  and  the  Federals  gradually  advanced  their 
parallels  despite  the  fire  of  the  rebels.  The  latter  had  dug 
rifle  pits  within  fifty  yards  of  the  Federals,  behind  which 
their  sharpshooters  were  posted,  who  greatly  annoyed  the 
"Union  troops.  On  one  occasion  an  attacking  column  of 
thf  rebels  was  driven  offj  the  line  of  its  retreat  swept 
with  a  terrible  fire  from  howitzers,  and  most  of  the  fugitives 
compelled  to  return  and  surrender.  The  lines  were  new 
advanced  within  two  hundred  yards  of  Fort  Wagner. 
There  was  a  marsh  a  mile  in  width  on  the  west  of  Morris 
Island.  By  driving  in  piles,  and  floating  in  sand  bags 
upon  scows  by  night,  a  firm  foundation  was  made,  on  which 
a  heavy  two  hundred  pounder  Parrott  gun  was  mounted, 
which  was  called  the  "Swamp  Angel."  When  this  terrible 
gun  opened  fire,  it  cast  solid  shot  through  the  gorge  wall  of 
the  fort,  making  apertures  from  four  to  five  feet  in  di- 
ameter. 

On  the  morning  of  the  17th  of  August,  sixty  guns  wen 
in  position,  and  Gilmore  renewed  the  attack  on  the  forf 
The  fleet  at  the  same  time  opened  on  Wagner  and  Gregg, 
and  having  silenced  their  guns,  proceeded  to  assault  Fort 
Sumter.  The  bombardment  was  continued  from  the  17th 
to  the  24th.  The  Parrott  guns  cast  bolts  eight  inches  in 
diameter,  two  feet  long,  and  weighing  two  hundred  pounds. 
Under  this  dreadful  pounding,  the  face  of  the  fort  was  a 
ruined  mass,  and  the  structure  was  soon  rendered  useless 
as  a  defence.  The  "  Swamp  Angel"  hurled  thirteen  shells 
into  the  city  at  a  distance  of  nearly  five  miles,  causing  great 
surprise  and  consternation  to  prevail  among  the  inhabitants. 

The  parallels  rapidly  approached  Fort  Wagner  mean- 
while, and  the  counterscarp  being  mined,  the  fort  was  to  be 
stormed  on  the  morning  of  th?  8th  of  September;  but  on 
the  night  previous  to  the  anticipated  attack,  Colonel  Keitt, 
of  South  Carolina,  escaped  in  small  boats  with  sixteen  hun- 
dred men,  comprising  the  garrisons  of  Forts  Wagner  and 
Gregg.  In  the  morning  the  troops  occupied  these  forts 
unmolested,  and  Morris  Island  was  again  in  the  possession 
of  the  patriots.  An  attempt,  on  the  7th,  to  storm  iort  Sum 
ter,  failed.  Thirty  boats,  containing  one  hundred  marines, 
commanded  by  Lieutenant-commander  Williams,  were  as- 
sailed  with  such  a  tremendous  fire  from  hand-grenade^ 


MINOR   REVERSES   TO  THE   REBEL   CAUSE.  389 

musketry,  and  the  batteries,  as  compelled  them  to  retire, 
with  the  loss  of  fifty  killed  and  wounded.  In  the  months 
that  followed  Charleston  still  flaunted  the  Confederate  flag, 
although  the  bombardment  continued. 

In  consequence  of  the  reverses  which  had  befallen  tha 
anus  of  the  Confederacy,  Jefferson  Davis,  on  the  25th  of 
July  of  this  year,  appointed  August  llth  as  a  day  of  fasting 
and  prayer.  President  Lincoln,  in  grateful  acknowledgment 
of  a  beneficent  Providence,  which  had  mercifully  crowned 
the  Federal  arms  with  victory,  appointed  the  6th  of  August 
as  a  day  of  thanksgiving  and  prayer. 

Among  the  minor  events  of  the  summer  of  1863,  was 
the  attack  upon  and  destruction  of  the  town  of  "Wytheville, 
Virginia,  and  the  cutting  of  the  line  of  the  Virginia  and 
Tennessee  railroad.  Colonel  Toland,  of  the  Thirty-fourth 
Ohio,  the  commander  of  this  expedition,  which  set  out  from 
Charleston,  Va.,  captured  one  hundred  and  twenty  prisoners, 
three  cannon,  and  a  large  number  of  small  arms.  Sixty- 
five  of  the  Unionists  were  killed,  including  their  commander. 
In  Jackson,  Mississippi,  also,  a  large  number  of  locomotives 
and  other  rolling  stock,  besides  valuable  stores,  were  cap- 
tured by  General  Parke,  the  rebels  having  evacuated  the 
city  after  firing  it  in  several  places.  Thus,  the  Confederacy 
was  daily  losing  both  in  soldiers  and  in  war  material,  while 
the  Southern  people  were  generally  reduced  to  great  straits 
in  consequsnce  of  the  enormous  prices  of  even  the  barest 
necessaries  of  life,  and  were  losing  confidence  in  their  lead- 
en and  in  the  ultimate  success  of  their  cause- 


CHAPTEK  XXXYHL 

SEPTEMBER — OCTOBER,  1863. 

X»  M  AT  CHATTANOOGA — FLANKED  BY  ROSECRANS — MARCH  07  TDK  A  R« 
OF  THK  TENNESSEE — ROSECRANS  GAINS  CHATTANOOGA  BY  STRATEGY  WITH- 
OUT A  BATTLE — BATTLE  OK  CHICKAMACGA — THOMAS  VICTORIOUS  ON  TU1 

LEFT — THE  RIGHT  AND  CENTRE  PRESSED END  OF  TUB  FIRST  DAY'S  BAT- 

TLE FORCES  OF  THE  TWO  ARMIES MCCOOK,  CRITTEXDEN,  AND  THOMAS 

— SECOND  DAY'S   BATTLE — HEROISM  OF  THE  TROOPS — THE  RIGHT  AND 
CENTRE  SWEPT  AWAY  BY  OVERWHELMING  NUMBERS — STEADFASTNESS  OF 

THK  LEFT  WING DESPERATE  STRUGGLE  OF  THOMAS — THE  CRISIS — THB 

GALLANT  STEADMAN — THE  BATTLE  SAVED GENERAL  GRANT  PUT  IN  COM- 
MAND OF  THE  MISSISSIPPI  DIVISION OTHER  CHANGES. 

WE  now  return  to  scenes  which  transpired  in  eastern  Ten- 
nessee, from  which,  after  the  battle  of  Stone  river  (or  Mur- 
freesboro),  the  enemy  retreated,  followed  by  General  Rose- 
crans.  The  long  continued  inactivity  of  the  latter  produced 
great  public  disappointment,  and  the  authorities  at  Wash- 
'ngton  were  urgent  for  an  advance  movement.  Rosecrans, 
however,  determined  to  be  fully  prepared,  as  Bragg  held 
the  strong  fortifications  of  Chattanooga  with  a  powerful 
army.  "The  movement  over  the  Cumberland  mountains 
began  on  the  morning  of  the  16th  of  August,  as  follows: — 
General  Crittenden's  corps,  in  three  columns ;  General  Wood, 
from  Hillsborough,  by  Pelham,  to  Thurman,  in  Sequatchie 
valley;  General  Palmer,  from  Manchester,  by  the  most 
practicable  route  to  Dunlap ;  General  Van  Clevc,  with  two 
brigades,  from  McMinnville  (the  third  being  left  in  garrison 
there)  by  the  most  practicable  route  to  Pikeville,  the  head 
of  Sequatchie  valley ;  Colonel  Minty's  cavalry  to  drive  back 
Detrel's  cavalry  toward  Kingston,  where  the  enemy — 
mounted,  under  Forrest — were  concentrated,  and  then  cover- 
ing the  left  flank  of  Van  Clove's  column,  to  proceed  to  Pike- 
ville.  The  Fourteenth  army  corps,  Major-general  George 
H.  Thomas  commanding,  moved  as  follows :  General  Rey- 
nolds, from  University,  by  way  of  Battle  creek,  to  take  post, 
concealed,  near  its  mouth ;  General  Brannon  to  follow  him ; 
General  Negley  to  go  by  Tuntillon,  ajid  halt  on  Crow  creek, 
between  Anderson  and  Stevenson ;  General  Baird  to  follow 
(390) 


ROSECRAN'S    GAINS   CHATTANOOGA    BY   STRATEGY.     391 

nim,  and  camp  near  Anderson.  The  Twentieth  corps, 
Major-general  A.  McCook  commanding,  moved  as  fol- 
lows: General  Johnson,  by  Salem  and  Larkin's  ford.,  to 
Belle-font ;  General  Davis,  by  Mount  Top  and  Crow  creek, 
to  near  Stevenson.  The  three  brigades  of  cavalry  by  Fay- 
etteville  and  Athens,  to  cover  the  line  of  the  Tennessee. 
from  Whiteburg  up." 

The  defences  of  Chattanooga  were  so  powerful  as  to  render 
an  attack  from  the  north  imprudent,  and  Rosecrans  therefore 
determined  on  a  flank  movement  from  the  south.  For  this 
purpose,  General  Waggoner  was  detached  from  his  division, 
and  with  Wilder's  cavalry,  crossed  Walden's  Eidge,  nearly 
opposite  Chattanooga,  and  Colonel  Minty,  with  four  thou- 
sand cavalry,  and  three  thousand  infantry,  proceeded  to 
Smith  field.  During  three  weeks,  the  troops  threatened  the 
western  bank  of  the  river,  batteries  shelled  the  town,  and 
two  steamers  were  captured,  besides  a  horse  ferry.  Colone. 
Minty,  on  the  21st,  opened  fire  with  one  of  his  batteries,  and 
made  a  show  of  crossing  the  Tennessee  above  the  city.  An 
ostentatious  display  of  troops  led  the  Confederates  to  believe 
that  the  army  of  Rosecrans  was  before  them,  and  they  had 
no  idea  of  the  real  design  of  that  wily  general,  until  he  had 
crossed  the  river  below  the  city,  and  McCook  and  Thomaa 
had  appeared  with  their  troops  on  Lookout  Mountain.  In 
the  early  days  of  September,  the  army  crossed  the  river  by 
means  of  pontoons  and  rafts,  and  on  the  7th,  the  rebels  began 
to  evacuate  the  stronghold. 

On  the  9th,  part  of  the  Ninety-seventh  Ohio  occupied  an 
abandoned  fortification  on  Bell  Mountain,  and  General 
Wood's  division,  having  driven  the  enemy  from  Lookout 
Point,  entered  Chattanooga. 

Thus  Rosecrans  had  led  his  army  in  twenty-three  days  on 
a  march  three  hundred  miles  from  his  base  of  supplies,  had 
crossed  three  mountain  ranges  from  one  thousand  five  hun 
dred  to  two  thousand  four  hundred  feet  high,  had  forded  a 
large  river,  and  captured  a  powerful  stronghold,  with  the 
loss  of  only  six  men.  To  retain  possession  of  the  place 
would  free  Tennessee  and  Georgia  from  rebel  sway.  The 
Confederate  general  was  speedily  reinforced  by  two  divisions 
from  Richmond,  and  troops  from  Charles. ^n,  Savannah, and 
Mobile ;  some  of  these  were  on  the  wa}  already,  but  the 
evacuation  had  previously  occurred.  The  Onion  forces  were 


892  BATTLE    OF    CHICKAMAUGA. 

\ 

concentrated  on  the  western  banks  of  the  West  Chickamaugt 
river,  fourteen  miles  from  Chattanooga,  on  the  18th.  During 
the  day,  there  was  skirmishing  with  artillery  at  long  range, 
and  both  sides  prepared  for  a  decisive  engagement. 

On  Saturday,  September  19th,  the  morning  was  chilly 
and  camp  fires  blazed  around,  at  which  the  troops  were 
warming,  while  the  enemy  were  massing  large  forces  against 
them.  The  impetuous  charge  of  a  Federal  brigade  on  a  body 
of  the  enemy  at  Read's  ford,  brought  on  the  battle  at  ten 
o'clock.  The  enemy  was  repulsed  but  again  advanced,  and 
attacking  the  troops  while  filling  tneir  canteens  with  water, 
captured  three  pieces  of  artillery.  The  army  now  occupied 
a  right  line,  of  which  General  McCook  held  the  right,  Gen- 
eral Thomas  the  left,  and  General  Crittenden  the  centre. 
General  Thomas  advanced  to  meet  Longstreet,  whose  forces, 
twenty  thousand  strong,  were  now  crossing  the  shallow 
stream.  The  rebel  guns  made  frightful  gaps  in  the  Federal 
ranks,  which  boldly  moved  on  under  a  heavy  musketry  fire, 
advancing  with  great  bravery,  and  driving  back  the  enemy 
in  repeated  charges.  Already  two  batteries  had  been  cap- 
tured, which  they  turned  against  the  retreating  foe,  and  it 
seemed  as  if  victory  were  certain. 

Meanwhile,  the  battle  on  the  right  and  centre  raged  with  a 
different  result.  Polk  and  Hill  massed  their  troops,  dashed 
upon  Palmer  and  Van  Cleve,  on  the  extreme  right,  and  pierced 
their  line.  The  troops  under  Van  Cleve  were  routed,  when 
General  Davis  arriving,  for  awhile,  with  desperate  efforts, 
rolled  back  the  tide  of  battle.  The  enemy  saw  the  impor- 
tance of  supporting  Longstreet  at  this  crisis,  and  brought  up 
all  their  forces  to  overwhelm  McCook  and  Crittenden,  to 
the  aid  of  whom,  General  Thomas  now  hastened,  and  this 
reinforcement  for  a  time  held  the  enemy  in  check. 

The  enemy  soon  formed  a  new  line,  and  in  a  determined 
charge,  were  driven  back.  At  four  P.M.,  there  was  a  ccssa 
tion  of  the  battle,  during  which  both  sides  rested.  Before 
sunset,  a  heavy  artillery  fire  was  concentrated  on  a  portion 
of  the  Union  lines,  and  was  followed  up  by  a  desperate 
charge  of  the  rebel  columns.  During  the  repulse  of  Long- 
street  on  the  left,  the  troops  under  Colonel  Wilder,  with 
their  "seven -shooters,"  and  the  Indiana  battery,  commanded 
by  Colonel  Lilly,  made  fearful  carnage  among  the  enemy, 
two  thousand  me  a  being  struck  down  by  the  terrible  fire 
from  this  portion  of  the  tin* 


BATTLE   OF   CHICKAMAUGA.  89S 

The  first  day  of  the  battle  of  Chickamauga  had  ended,  and 
night  fell  upon  the  patriots,  bringing  with  it  gloom  and  sad 
forebodings.  Bragg  had  there  his  whole  army,  and  half 
of  Johnston's.  Buckner's  division,  Longstreet's  corps,  and 
twelve  thousand  fresh  Georgia  troops,  augmented  the  forces 
of  the  enemy  to  not  less  than  eighty  thousand  strong,  and 
other  reinforcements  were  coming  in  continually,  swelling 
die  number  to  ninety  thousand. 

On  the  other  hand,  Rosecrans  was  hundreds  of  miles  from 
his  base  of  supplies,  in  the  heart  of  an  enemy's  country,  and 
without  any  hope  of  reinforcements.  His  army,  consisting 
of  that  which  he  had  led  at  Stone  river,  and  the  divisions  of 
Brannon  and  Reynolds,  amouuted  to  only  fifty-five  thousand 
effective  men. 

There  are  two  gaps  in  Missionary  Ridge,  one  on  the 
right,  another  on  the  left,  through  which  run  two  roads,  dis- 
tant two  miles  from  each  other.  Between  these  roads,  in  a 
level  country,  covered  with  thick  forests  of  oak  and  pine,  the 
Union  army  was  posted,  with  General  Thomas  on  the  left, 
General  Crittenden  on  the  centre,  and  General  McCook  on 
the  right.  The  dense  woods  prevented  the  use,  to  any  great 
degree,  of  artillery  and  musketry  and  the  bayonet  must, 
therefore,  decide  the  issue  of  the  conflict. 

On  Sunday,  the  20th,  the  fog  was  dispelled  by  the  sun, 
which  gradually  rose  in  splendor,  illuminating  a  lovely 
scene.  Rosecrans  rode  along  the  ranks  of  his  troops,  and 
animated  them  with  kind  words  of  encouragement,  calcula- 
ted to  cheer  their  spirits.  On  the  enemy's  side,  as  before, 
Longstreet  held  the  right,  Hill  the  centre,  and  P  jlk  the  left. 
The  battle  began  at  ten  A.  M.,  by  a  sudden  onset  on  the  left 
wing,  where  overpowering  numbers  nearly  surrounded  the 
Union  troops,  under  Negley,  Johnston,  Baird,  and  Palmer, 
who  resisted  them  for  two  hours  with  unshaken  fortitude. 
The  hostile  troops  then  massed  in  three  columns,  for  a  re 
sistless  charge  in  succession.  The  first  faltered,  recoiled, 
and  fled  before  the  terrible  storm  that  laid  many  low.  Tht 
second  had  lain  flat  on  their  faces,  and  now  springing  to 
their  feet,  rushed  on  with  dreadful  yells,  firing  as  they  ad- 
vanced. A  terrific  fire  at  the  distance  of  one  hundred 
yards,  brought  them  to  a  stand ;  a  universal  tremor  shook 
the  whole  line,  and  it  became  a  broken  mass  of  fugitives 
fleeing  without  organization  from  the  field.  The  third  columi 


394  BA1TLE    OF    CHICKAMAUGA. 

made  no  attempt  to  charge,  but  covered  the  retreat  oi  their 
comrades,  and  arrested  the  pursuit.  The  rebel  leaders 
poured  in  fresh  troops,  and  Rosecrans,  seeing  Thomas  fear 
fully  pressed,  sent  Negley  to  his  aid,  and  Wood,  of  Critten 
den's  division,  to  supply  Negley's  place.  The  enemy  yet 
poured  in,  and  Wood,  in  the  centre,  was  heavily  pressed. 
The  rebel  leaders,  stung  to  madness  by  their  repulse,  moved 
aeavily  massed  columns  on  Thomas.  The  latter  double 
hotted  his  guns,  but  the  dreadful  storm  of  canister  which 
.binned  the  rebel  ranks,  could  not  keep  them  back,  and  at 
last  the  Union  troops  began  to  waver.  Thomas  and  his 
officers  used  all  their  efforts  to  animate  them,  but  the  whole 
wing  at  last  fell  back  in  disorder.  The  troops  were  now 
rallied  to  a  new  position.  Thomas  rested  his  right  on  Mis- 
sionary Ridge,  the  left  on  a  hill  by  the  Lafayette  road, 
while  the  centre  was  thrown  slightly  forward.  He  now 
sent  for  reinforcements. 

At  noon,  Rosecrans  sent  Wood  to  the  assistance  of  Rey- 
nolds. Brannon  was  between  them,  and  Wood  was  obliged 
to  fall  back,  and  march  in  his  rear  to  reach  Reynolds.  This 
eft  a  gap,  broke  the  centre,  and  lost  the  battle.  The  enemy 
•ushed  in  immediately,  in  resistless  flood,  and  Davis  was  too 
>ate  in  closing  up  to  check  them.  They  drove  him  back  in 
disorder,  which  was  soon  communicated  to  Palmer  and  Van 
Cleve  on  the  other  side.  Sheridan,  left  alone  on  the  right, 
strove  desperately  to  hold  his  ground.  The  head-quarters 
of  Rosecrans,  in  the  rear,  were  swept  away,  but  all  his  efforts, 
as  he  rode  with  drawn  sword  to  rally  the  troops,  proved  un- 
availing. McCook  and  Crittenden  were  swept  before  the 
overwhelming  tide.  A  confused  mass,  struggling  amid  ar- 
tillery, wagons,  and  horses,  was  borne  in  tumult  toward 
Rossville  and  the  gap.  The  centre  and  right  were  gone, 
and  there  now  remained  the  left  wing,  whose  wearied  troops, 
under  Thomas  and  his  brave  officers,  alone  could  save  the 
army  from  annihilation. 

Here,  General  Thomas  determined  to  meet  the  over- 
whelming foe.  He  drew  up  his  shattered  ranks  on  a  ridge, 
and  his  artillery,  advantageously  posted,  caused  the  rebel 
masses  to  waver.  The  extreme  right  of  the  line  rested  on  a 
ridge ;  through  this  latter  was  a  gap,  by  which  the  enemy 
now  rushed,  and  would  have  soon  gained  the  rear,  unless 
prevented.  Thomas  i_ad  no  troops  to  oppose  them,  and 


THE   BATTLE   SAVED— UNION   AND   REBEL   LOSSES.    395 

all  seemed  lost.  Just  at  that  critical  moment,  General  Gran- 
ger's reserves  came  up,  being  the  brigades  of  Mitchell  and 
Whittaker,  under  command  of  General  Stead  man,  and 
rushed  in  a  headlong  charge  on  the  advancing  Confederates, 
repulsing  them  with  great  slaughter.  In  that  desperate 
fight,  one  thousand  of  Steadman's  gallant  troops  fell.  Long- 
street  attempted  to  fbrce  the  passage  of  the  main  gap,  and 
break  the  line  in  the  centre,  with  two  large  divisions.  A 
battery  of  six  pieces,  at  short  range,  mowed  down  the  massea 
of  the  enemy.  Another  advance  was  made  at  sunset,  and 
the  patriots  having  exhausted  their  ammunition,  charged 
the  foe  with  the  bayonet,  and,  in  a  severe  conflict,  forced 
them  to  give  way. 

On  the  right,  another  similar  attack  was  made,  in  which 
the  foe  lost  five  hundred  prisoners,  and  baffled,  retired,  leav- 
ing Thomas  undisputed  master  of  the  field.  The  victorious 
Union  leader  withdrew  his  exhausted  troops  to  Eossville  at 
midnight,  and  on  the  night  of  the  21st,  to  Chattanooga, 
The  Union  loss  in  this  battle,  was  one  thousand  six  hundred 
and  forty -four  killed,  nine  thousand  two  hundred  and  sixty- 
two  wounded,  and  four  thousand  nine  hundred  and  forty- 
five  missing,  besides  a  loss  in  the  cavalry  of  one  thousand, 
making  a  total  of  sixteen  thousand  eight  hundred  and  fifty- 
one.  There  was  also  lost,  thirty-six  guns,  twenty  caissons 
eight  thousand  four  hundred  and  fifty  small  arms,  and  fivo 
thousand  eight  hundred  and  fifty-four  infantry  accoutre- 
ments. The  enemy  lost  two  thousand  two  hundred  and 
ninety-nine  killed,  among  whom  were  four  general  officers, 
and  fifteen  thousand  two  hundred  and  eighty  wounded,  in- 
cluding eight  generals;  total,  seventeen  thousand  five  hun- 
dred and  seventy  nine,  besides  two  thousand  and  three 
prisoners. 

After  the  battle,  Generals  McCook  and  Crittenden  were 
relieved  of  their  commands,  and  their  corps  consolidated  into 
the  Fourth,  of  which  General  Gordon  Granger  was  placed 
m  command.  On  the  27th  of  October,  General  Rosecrans 
was  superseded  in  the  command  of  the  Military  Division  of 
the  Mississippi  by  General  Grant,  whose  head-quarters  were 
at  Chattanooga. 


CHAPTER  XXXIX. 

SEPTEMBER,  1863 — MARCH,  1864. 

CHI    SITO>TION    AT     CHATTANOOGA — BURNSIDE    AT    KNOXVILLE — 

FLA* CAPTURE   OP    LOOKOUT    MOUNTAIN    AND  MISSIONARY    RTDGR — TH1 

VICTORf — PURSUIT  OF  THE  ENEMY — BATTLE  AT  RINGOOLD — CONCENTRA- 
TION O?  THE  TROOPS — LEE  RETREATS  ACROSS  THE  POTOMAC — REACHM 
THB  RAPIDAN — MEADE  AT  CULPEPPER — MEADE  OUTFLANKED,  RETREATS 
— CAVALRY  BATTLE  AT  BRANDY  STATION — WARREN  DEFEATS  THE  ENEMY 

AT     BKISTOW     STATION GENERAL    GRANT     IN    COMMAND    OF     ALL     THF 

PNION  ARMIES — AVERIU/S  RAID — SIIERMAN'8  MERIDIAN  EXPEDITION — 
SHERMAN  SUCCEEDS  GRANT  IN  COMMAND  OF  THE  MILITARY  DEPARTMENT 
OF  TUB  MISSISSIPPI — GRANT'S  FUTURE  PLANS. 

THE  Union  position  in  Chattanooga,  was  strong  but  pre- 
carious. The  army  lay  on  the  Tennessee  river,  both  abovo 
and  below,  and  the  enemy,  advancing  against  it,  held  Mis- 
sionary Ridge  and  Lookout  Mountain,  and  extended  hia 
lines  across  Chattanooga  valley.  The  communication  by 
Bridgeport  being  cut  off,  supplies  could  reach  the  place  only 
over  roads  which  the  rain  soon  rendered  nearly  impassable. 
A  raid  injured  the  road  from  Stevenson  to  Nashville,  and 
made  a  retreat  from  the  stronghold  at  one  time  rather  prob- 
able. Its  evacuation  would  leave  Atlanta,  with  its  railroads 
running  in  every  direction,  in  the  power  of  the  Confederacy, 
and  if  the  army  retreated,  the  struggle  for  the  Mississippi 
valley  would  be  again  renewed.  The  importance  of  tin 
place  caused  General  Grant  to  order  General  Thomas  to 
hold  it  to  the  last  extremity ;  Grant  himself  soon  arrived 
to  take  command  in  person. 

Hooker  had  been  sent  with  two  corps  to  Bridgeport,  and 
Bumsido,  with  two  columns,  set  out  in  August  on  a  cam- 
paign for  the  capture  of  Knoxville.  The  place  was  in  com- 
mand of  Buckner,  with  a  small  body  of  troops.  Burnside 
moved  with  rapid  marches,  and  unmolested,  till  on  the  1st 
of  September,  his  advance,  under  Colonel  Foster,  entered  the 
place.  The  arrival  of  the  Unionists  was  hailed  with  great  joy 
by  the  loyal  Tennesseans.  The  rebel  garrison,  two  thou- 
sand strong,  at  Cumberland  Gap,  surrendered,  and  Burnside 
sent  a  strong  '->rce  to '  hattanoora,  for  the  recapture  of  which, 

(396) 


RECONNOISSANCE — CAPTURE  OF  ORCHARD  KNOB.  397 

Bragg,  after  the  battle  of  Chickamauga,  sent  Longstreet  with 
his  division. 

In  consequence  of  the  difficulty  in  transportation,  the 
scarcity  of  supplies  was  beginning  to  be  severely  felt  at 
the  latter  place.  Hooker  was  selected  to  operate  against 
Lookout  Mountain,  previous  to  which  it  would  be  necessary 
to  occupy  Brown's  Ferry.  This  was  successfully  effected 
on  the  27th  of  October,  and  the  next  clay  the  whole  Eleventh 
corps  was  across,  and  encamped  in  Lookout  valley. 

On  the  night  of  November  22d,  the  enemy's  camp  fires 
blazed  along  the  ridges,  and  their  lines  extended  seven  miles, 
from  Missionary  Ridge  to  Lookout  Mountain.  The  plan 
of  Grant  was,  to  weaken  the  centre  by  an  attack  on  the 
wings,  and  then  by  a  charge  ;o  break  the  line.  Generals 
Sherman  and  Davis  were  to  a. tack  Fort  Buckner,  at  the 
head  of  Missionary  Ridge ;  Hooker,  Geary,  Osterhaus,  and 
Stanley  were  to  assault  Lookout  Mountain  ;  General  Thomas, 
with  the  troops  of  Granger  and  Palmer,  was  to  lay  concealed 
in  the  hills  and  woods,  and,  at  a  signal,  force  the  centre,  and 
General  Howard  was  held  in  reserve.  A  reconnoissance  of 
three  brigades  of  General  Wood's  division,  on  Monday,  23d, 
moved  from  Fort  Wood  on  the  east  of  the  city,  and  as  they 
advanced  toward  Missionary  Ridge,  the  guns  of  the  fort 
(Wood)  opened  on  the  enemy,  whose  batteries  on  the  hills 
promptly  responded. 

The  brave  veteran  troops  advanced,  encountered  the  ene- 
my's skirmishers,  and  drove  them  into  the  woods,  where 
the  report  of  musketry  and  the  smoke  of  battle  alone  told 
the  position  of  the  combatants.  The  troops  pressing  on,  cap- 
tured Orchard  Knob  and  one  hundred  prisoners,  and  then 
strongly  intrenched.  The  combat  for  the  day  terminated, 
and  the  enemy  collected  their  forces  for  an  attack  on  this 
point  on  the  ensuing  day,  which  perfectly  coincided  with 
the  plan  of  General  Grant. 

On  Tuesday,  23d,  the  clouds  portended  a  storm,  and  the 
whole  valley  was  alive  with  troops.  Rain  fell  at  one  o'clock, 
and  the  mists  obscured  the  day.  Sherman,  with  his  division, 
xnoved  in  silence  to  assault  the  lofty  heights  of  Missionary 
Ridge,  on  which  there  was  a  strong  fort  He  reached  a 
point  a  little  north  of  Orchard  Knol,  gaining  a  mound  at 
four  o'clock,  on  th  3  north  end  of  the  ridge,  from  which  it 
was  separated  by  a  valley,  half  a  mil  3  wide.  In  this,  the 
84 


898  CAPTURE   OF    LOOKOUT   MOUNTAIN. 

troops  intrenched,  and  resting  for  the  night,  waited  the  con 
flict  which  the  next  day  was  to  bring.  Hooker,  in  th« 
meantime,  moved  down  the  valley  toward  Lookout  Moun- 
tain, with  his  own  division,  and  the  brigades  of  Grover  and 
Whitaker.  The  hostile  intrenchments  ran  in  a  line  down 
the  slope  to  the  base  of  the  mountain,  and  were  filled  with 
a  large  force.  A  wall  of  rock,  perpendicular,  and  thirty 
feet  in  height^  rising  from  the  base,  was  too  steep  to  be 
climbed.  The  top  was  accessible  only  by  a  narrow  road, 
winding  to  the  jumniit  through  well  defended  gaps.  Hooker 
started  early  or.  Tuesday  morning,  and  marching  through 
the  woods,  escaped  observation.  By  a  rapid  movement 
around  the  west  side  of  the  mountain,  he  gained  a  place  where 
the  ascent  was  practicable,  and  scaled  the  hill  in  the  rear 
of  the  enemy,  who  opened  upon  him  with  a  heavy  fire.  The 
Union  batteries  made  a  prompt  and  vigorous  response,  caus- 
ing the  mountain  to  shake.  Clouds  now  canopied  the  com- 
batants, and  shrouded  them  from  the  gaze  of  the  interested 
spectators  in  the  valley.  Resistance  on  the  part  of  the  rebels 
was  in  vain,  and  as  they  could  not  escape  to  any  better  refuge 
ihan  rocks  and  thickets,  one  thousand  three  hundred  and 
sixty  were  captured  during  the  day.  Most  of  the  prisoners 
were  of  Stevenson's  division,  and  had  been  paroled  by  Gen- 
eral Grant  on  the  fall  of  Vicksburg.  No  exchange  had 
been  made  ;  and  according  to  the  rules  of  war,  death  should 
have  been  their  portion ;  but  their  officers  had  told  them 
that  they  were  exchanged,  and  the  authorities  at  Washing- 
ton did  not  therefore  exact  the  penalty. 

The  troops  marched  victorious  along  the  mountain  from 
east  to  west,  and  pressed  the  enemy  back  at  every  point  in 
which  they  were  encountered.  The  contest,  at  two  o'clock, 
was  the  most  sanguinary ;  for  two  hours  it  fiercely  raged, 
and  at  length,  a  bold  charge  drove  the  enemy  back  some 
distance,  where  they  in  turn  charged  upon  their  pursuers. 
On  they  rushed  with  great  fury.  Geary's  troops  held  them 
in  check  for  some  time,  till  their  ammunition  was  spent,  and 
were  now  about  to  retire,  when  Hooker  provided  a  fresh 
supply.  The  enemy  saw  that  the  ammunition  was  exhausted, 
and  confident  of  victory,  rushed  forward  with  wild  yells. 
But  one  hundred  and  t'venty  thousand  rounds  had  replen- 
ished the  patriot  t-oops,  ind  they  had  also  been  reinforced. 
A.  long  line  of  firo  glean  id  from  the  Union  ranks,  the  loud 


BATTLE   OF   MISSIONARY    RIDGE.  899 

crack  of  thoiisands  of  muskets  rang  forth,  and  the  exultant 
enemy  was  repulsed  with  heavy  loss.  Night  fell  upon  the 
mountain,  and  the  defeated  Confederates  withdrew  in  the 
darkness.  Hooker  r/lvanced  bis  lines,  and  the  camp  fires 
told  those  in  the  valley  that  Li  held  the  position.  The  re- 
turning light  discovered  that  the  foe  had  retreated — thus 
far  General  Grant  had  realized  his  hopes. 

On  the  25th,  Hooker  pursued  the  retreating  columns  ol 
the  enemy,  down  the  declivity  of  the  mountain  to  the  east, 
through  the  valley,  and  up  the  west  side  of  Missionary 
Ridge,  by  a  road  in  the  rear  of  Forts  Breckinridge  and  Hind- 
man.  The  enemy  now  prepa/ed  for  a  determined  stand,  on 
thesummit  of  Missionary  Ridge.  General  Corse,  of  Sherman's 
corps,  moved  across  the  plateau  from  the  north,  at  eleven 
A.  M.;  his  forces  consisting  of  three  brigades.  His  assault 
on  Fort  Buckner  was  repelled  by  a  strong  force,  but*  being 
reinforced  by  General  Howard,  the  combined  corps  pressed 
on  against  this  powerful  fort.  From  the  cliffs,  the  enemy 
hurled  upon  the  troops  large  boulders,  and  hand-grenades, 
but  were  heavily  pressed  by  the  Unionists,  and  now  ob- 
tained reinforcements  from  the  centre.  The  Union  troops 
were  compelled  to  fall  back,  but  again  advanced  with  great 
oravery.  So  close  was  the  conflict,  that  the  combatants 
were  scorched  with  the  flames  of  each  other's  guns.  The 
battle,  as  it  progressed,  was  witnessed  in  the  valley,  one 
thousand  feet  below.  It  was  a  sublime  spectacle,  in  which 
were  performed  many  deeds  of  noble  heroism.  The  rebels 
•were  again  heavily  reinforced  from  the  centre,  and  the 
Union  line  was  pressed  back;  but  the  enemy's  centre  being 
weakened,  Grant,  who  anxiously  waited  for  this  moment, 
now  gave  the  word  "  Forward."  The  four  columns  were 
apprised  of  the  order  by  a  signal  gun,  and  rapidly  moved 
ulong  the  valley  between  Orchard  Knob  and  Missionary 
Ridge.  Scaling  the  hill,  they  swept  all  opposition  from 
iheir  path,  and  threw  themselves  into  the  hostile  intrench- 
ments.  The  inequality  of  the  ground,  and  the  fierceness  of 
the  charge,  broke  the  assaulting  line,  and  the  battle,  though 
irregular,  was  fierce  and  bloody,  as  each  patriot  encountered 
an  adversary.  The  foe  was  soon  driven  in  confusion  and 
flight  before  the  stern  blows  of  the  Union  troops,  who  occu- 
pied Fort  Hind  man,  from  which  the  stars  and  stripes  now 
floated  in  trium  ;>h.  It  was  now  four  p.  M. ;  General  Bragg; 


4-00  THE   VICTORY — PURSUIT   OF  THE   ENEMY. 

at  Fort  Buckner,  was  making  desperate  efforts  to  rallj  his 
troops,  in  order  to  drive  Hooker  from  the  mountain,  but 
Grant  was  now  on  the  spot,  and  arrangements  were  made  to 
meet  the  onset.  The  captured  guns  were  turned  on  the 
rebels,  who  recoiled  and  fled,  and  the  grape  and  canister 
which  swept  their  ranks,  turned  their  retreat  into  a  complete 
rout.  They  rushed  from  the  brow  of  the  mountain,  and 
sought  refuge  in  the  forest.  At  half  past  seven  o'clock  p.  M., 
General  Grant  telegraphed  to  Washington,  "  Although  the 
battle  lasted  from  early  dawn  till  dark  this  evening,  I  believe 
I  am  not  premature  in  announcing  a  complete  victory  over 
Bragg.  Lookout  Mountain  top,  all  the  rifle  pits  in  Chatta- 
nooga valley,  and  Missionary  Ridge  entire,  have  been  car- 
ried, and  are  now  held  by  us." 

The  success  in  this  conflict,  resulted  in  the  relief  of  Gen- 
eral Burnside  at  Knoxville,  the  rescue  of  Kentucky  and 
Tennessee  from  rebel  raids,  and  the  opening  of  Georgia  to 
the  advance  of  the  army.  The  movements,  strategic  and 
tactical,  in  the  accomplishment  of  this  grand  design,  speak 
volumes  for  the  great  abilities  of  Grant,  and  the  bravery  of 
the  troops.  In  the  pursuit  of  the  enemy  next  morning, 
many  prisoners  were  taken,  entire  regiments  casting  away 
their  arms,  and  fleeing  in  all  directions.  The  enemy  burned 
all  their  stores,  destroyed  bridges,  and  otherwise  obstructed 
the  road.  They  were  pursued  toward  Dal  ton,  by  Hooker 
Palmer,  and  Sherman.  The  pursuit  continued  on  the  27th, 
along  the  line  of  railroad  toward  Ringgold.  The  debris 
of  an  army  lined  the  road.  At  Chickamauga  Station  and 
at  Pigeon  Ridge,  the  foe  made  a  brief  but  feeble  resistance, 
and  the  pursuit  was  still  continued. 

At  Ringgold,  which  is  situated  between  two  ranges  of 
hills,  in  a  gap  where  a  small  body  of  men  could,  for  a  time, 
resist  an  army,  the  enemy,  having  mounted  numerous  batter- 
ies on  the  crests  of  White  Oak  Ridge,  determined  to  dispute 
the  advance  of  their  pursuers. 

At  half  past  eight  A.  M.,  on  Friday  (27th),  General  Hooker 
moved  up  the  Rossville  road,  and  the  foe  returned  to  the 
gap,  at  which  place  the  combatants  became  engaged.  Aa 
the  rebels  retired  to  the  gap,  the  division  of  Osterhaua 
pressed  them  closely  with  great  spirit,  and  was  met  with  a 
destructive  fire  rained  upon  it  from  ths  rebel  batteries,  which 
•wept  the  gup  auc1  shelled  Rossville,  now  occupied  by  the 


BATTLE   AT   RINGGOLD.  401 

Federal  troops.  The  hill-sides  on  each  side  of  the  gap  were 
filled  with  the  pursuers,  who  were  exposed  to  a  deadly  fire, 
and  being  almost  enveloped  by  the  foe,  they  were  compelled 
to  retire,  pursued  in  turn  with  great  vigor.  At  thi?  crisis. 
Colonel  Creighton,  in  command  of  Colonel  Canby's  brigade, 
came  up  to  the  aid  of  the  patriots,  and  climbing  the  steep, 
reached  the  summit. 

The  rebels  at  this  point  resorted  to  a  dishonorable  stratagem 
by  the  display  of  Union  banners,  which  had  been  captured 
by  Hardee's  corps.  Just  as  the  men  of  the  Seventh  Ohio  had 
gained  the  hill,  thinking  that  their  comrades  held  it,  they 
rushed  forward  with  cheers  of  enthusiasm,  but  were  met  with 
such  a  tremendous  volley  as  laid  many  low.  Every  officer, 
except  one,  was  killed  or  wounded,  and  the  regiment  retreateu 
in  wild  disorder. 

The  brave  troops  soon  formed  again.  General  Osterhaus 
was  on  the  centre,  and  General  Geary  on  the  flanks.  In  a 
spirited  action,  in  which  the  patriots  lost  three  hundred  killed 
and  wounded,  the  pass  was  cleared,  and  three  hundred  pris- 
oners captured.  Meanwhile,  a  body  of  cavalry,  of  General 
Howard's  corps,  seized  Parker's  Gap,  destroyed  the  Dalton  and 
Cleveland  railroad,  at  Bed  Hill,  and  captured  a  number  of 
prisoners  and  a  train  of  cars.  The  communications  of  Long- 
street,  who  had  proceeded  to  invest  Knoxville,  were  now  cut 
off)  and  as  he  could  receive  no  further  supplies,  he  made  a 
desperate  assault  on  that  city,  but  being  driven  back  with 
great  loss,  he  was  compelled  to  raise  the  siege. 

On  Saturday,  the  28th,  the  troops  were  concentrated  around 
the  important  position  which  their  bravery  had  won.  This 
memorable  conquest,  one  of  the  most  remarkable  in  the  his- 
tory of  the  war,  was  achieved  with  the  loss,  on  the  patriot 
side,  of  five  thousand  six  hundred  and  sixteen  killed, 
wounded,  and  missing,  including  the  loss  sustained  in  the 
relief  of  Knoxville.  The  losses  in  the  battles  of  Lookout 
Mountain  and  Missionary  Kidge,  were  nearly  four  thousand 
killed  and  wounded.  The  loss  of  the  enemy  is  estimated  Ht 
fifteen  thousand  killed,  wounded,  and  prisoners,  besides  sev- 
enty cannon,  and  seven  thousand  small  arms.  Great  joy 
was  caused  by  this  victory.  Longstreet  was  driven  from 
Knoxville,  the  way  to  Chattanooga  was  opened,  and  the 
power  of  the  Government  was  so  firmly  re-established  in  Ten- 
nessee, that  no  future  attempts  of  serious  import  were  macU 
to  draw  that  State  from  its  allegiance. 


i02  RETREAT   OF    LEE   TOWARD   WILLIAMSPORT. 

We  must  now  return  to  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  which 
since  the  battle  of  Gettysburg,  had  remained  comparatively 
quiet  till  the  autumn  of  this  year.  The  narrative  was  brought 
op  to  the  period  xwhen  General  Lee,  after  baring  marched 
into  Pennsylvania,  confident  of  bringing  the  war  into  the 
very  heart  of  the  North,  was  defeated  with  great  loss,  and 
already  meditated  a  retreat  from  the  scene  of  his  punishment 
and  humiliation. 

Accordingly,  he  began  his  retreat  by  the  Fairfield  and 
Cashtown  roads,  toward  Williamsport,  on 'the  evening  of 
the  4th  of  July,  in  a  heavy  rain,  and  with  great  secrecy. 
On  the  morning  of  the  5th,  General  Meade  sent  Sedgwick, 
with  the  Sixth  corps,  in  pursuit  on  the  Fairfield  road,  and 
cavalry  on  the  Cashtown  road,  by  the  Emmettsburg  and 
Monterey  passes.  On  reaching  Fairfield  Pass,  Sedgwick 
found  it  too  strongly  defended,  and  abandoning  it,  moved  on 
to  the  Potomac,  endeavoring  to  intercept  Lee's  retreat.  The 
5th  and  6th  had  been  spent  in  the  burial  of  the  dead  and 
sare  of  the  wounded.  At  midnight,  on  the  4th,  in  a  furious 
chunder-storm,  General  Kilpatrick  defeated  Stuart  at  Mon- 
terey Pass,  and  captured  four  hundred  prisoners,  some 
artillery,  and  a  battle  flag.  In  his  official  report,  he 
says : — "  On  this  day  (July  4th),  I  captured  one  thousand 
eight  hundred  and  sixty  prisoners,  including  many  officers 
of  rank,  and  destroyed  the  rebel  General  Ewell's  immense 
wagon  train,  nine  miles  long."  On  the  morning  of  the 
6th,  Kilpatrick  surprised  and  again  defeated  Stuart  at 
Hagerstown,  and  forced  him  to  burn  a  large  wagon 
train.  On  the  7th,  Generals  Buford  and  Kilpatrick  at- 
tempted to  destroy  Lee's  immense  supply  train  at  "Williams- 
port,  and  partially  succeeded,  burning  several  hundred 
wagons.  Their  combined  forces  did  not  exceed  ten  thou- 
sand men,  and  the  enemy  furiously  attacking  them  in  front, 
the  whole  Federal  force  was  enveloped,  and  only  rescued 
from  destruction  by  desperate  fighting,  and  the  great  valor 
of  officers  and  men.  They  retreated  with  some  loss,  and  en- 
camped on  the  opposite  side  of  the  Antietam. 

On  the  8th,  Stuart's  cavalry,  and  a  strong  body  of  infantry, 
advanced  on  Boonesboro,  and  engaged  Buford  and  Kilpatricll 
in  a  desperate  struggle,  which  continued  from  ten  A.  M.  unti" 
after  dark,  and  resulted  :n  the  total  rout  of  the  enemy,  wh4 
was  severely  punished.  On  the  9th,  the  Army  of  the  Poto 


HE   CROSSES  THE    POTOMAC  403 

mac  encamped  on  the  banks  of  the  Antietam,  and  on  the 
18th,  General  Meade  determined  to  assault  the  enemy's 
position.  The  waters  of  the  Potomac  were  swollen  at  this 
time,  and  it  was  expected  that  Lee  could  not  escape.  The 
attack  was  to  be  made  on  the  14th,  but  on  the  night  of  the 
13th,  Kilpatrick  examining  his  picket  line,  saw  indications 
that  the  Confederates  were  leaving  his  front,  and  at  seven 
A.  M.  he  charged,  and  drove  a  portion  of  their  rear-guard 
into  the  Potomac.  At  Falling  Waters,  he  moved  rapidly 
upon  a  veteran  division  of  infantry,  under  Major-general 
Pettigrew.  The  enemy,  taken  by  surprise,  made  a  desperate 
resistance.  After  a  spirited  action,  General  Pettigrew  was 
killed  in  a  sabre  charge.  Pennington's  Federal  artillery 
covered  the  ground  with  the  killed  and  wounded,  and  the 
rebels  lost  also  fifteen  hundred  prisoners,  two  field  pieces,  and 
three  battle  flags.  Kilpatrick,  in  his  official  report,  says : — 
"  In  this  campaign,  my  command  has  captured  four  thousand 
five  hundred  prisoners,  nine  guns,  and  eleven  battle  flags." 

The  Confederates  now  retreated  toward  Staunton  and  Gor- 
donsville.  Their  escape  from  General  Meade  occasioned  much 
public  discontent,  as  the  North  fully  expected  that  a  deci- 
sive battle  would  be  fought,  in  which  the  enemy  would  be 
defeated,  if  not  annihilated. 

General  Meade  crossed  the  Potomac,  and  moved  down  the 
Loudon  valley  on  Lee's  flank.  Lee  continued  his  retreat 
to  the  Rapidan,  and  at  the  close  of  July,  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac  took  up  its  position  on  the  banks  of  the  Rappahau- 
nock.  On  the  approach  of  autumn,  it  was  necessary  to  re- 
sume the  offensive,  as  it  was  ascertained  that  Lee  was  send- 
ing reinforcements  to  Braprg.  The  army  therefore  advanced 
about  the  middle  of  September,  and  Pleasonton  moving  the 
cavalry  first,  crossed  the  Rappahannock,  and  drove  Stuarl 
out  of  Culpepper.  The  cavalry  guarded  the  flanks  and 
rear  of  the  army,  which  now  had  crossed  the  river.  Meade 
had  hiu  head-quarters  at  Culpepper,  and  Lee  lay  encamped 
at  Orange  Court  House.  Though  inferior  in  numbers,  Lee 
crossed  the  Rapidan  on  the  9th  of  October,  completely  out- 
flanked the  Union  general,  and  forced  him  to  retreat.  A 
severe  cavalry  battle  took  place,  in  which  Pleasonton,  Buford, 
Kilpatrick,  Custer,  and  Davis  led  separate  charges  in  person, 
and  the  plains  of  Brandy  Station  again  witnessed  the  superi- 
ority of  the  Union  cavalry,  and  the  defeat  of  the  euenrr 


GRANT   APPOINTED    LIEUTENANT-GENERAL. 

Lee  having  forced  Meade  to  fall  back  to  the  line  of  BuL 
Run,  destroyed  the  Orange  and  Alexandria  railroad,  from 
the  Rapidan  to  M.inassas.  In  the  retrogade  movement, 
General  Warren,  in  a  severe  conflict  with  the  enemy,  on  the 
14th  of  October,  at  Bristow  Station,  compelled  them  to  fall 
Hack,  with  the  loss  of  thirteen  hundred  killed,  wounded,  and 
captured,  six  pieces  of  artillery,  and  two  battle  flags.  On 
the  7th  of  November,  Generals  French  and  Sedgwick  cap- 
tured five  hundred  prisoners  at  Kelly's  ford,  and  in  a  bril- 
liant, dash  on  the  rebel  forts  at  Rappahannock  Station,  de- 
feated the  enemy,  after  an  action  of  twenty  minutes,  capturing 
sixteen  hundred  prisoners,  four  guns,  and  eight  battle  flags. 
The  army,  on  the  night  of  the  1st  of  December,  recrossed  the 
Rapidan.  and  went  into  winter-quarters,  confronted  by  those 
of  the  Confederates. 

The  third  year  of  the  history  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac 
was  now  ended.  During  that  period  the  policy  of  the  Gov- 
ernment was  to  crush  out  the  rebellion  by  the  same  means 
as  that  which  the  anaconda  takes  to  destroy  its  victim.  A 
new  system  was  now  inaugurated,  and  the  rebellion  was 
destined  to  meet  its  end  by  the  powerful  blows  of  an  athlete 
—of  one  skilled  in  the  art  of  war,  both  from  education  and 
experience. 

General  Grant,  with  the  title  of  Lieutenant-general,  was 
at  this  period  placed  at  the  head  of  all  the  armies  of  the 
United  States,  and  with  the  able  subordinates,  and  bravo 
patriots  under  him,  achieved  that  glorious  consummation 
hereafter  to  be  described. 

A  brilliant  exploit  was  performed  during  the  month  of 
December,  by  General  Averill,  in  destroying  the  East  Ten- 
nessee and  Virginia  railroad  successfully.  The  expeditiob 
started  on  the  16th.  Bridges,  stations,  telegraphs,  and  other 
Confederate  property  were  destroyed,  two  hundred  prisoners 
and  one  hundred  and  fifty  horses  taken,  and  the  brave  troops 
"marched,  climbed,  and  swam  three  hundred  and  fifty- 
five  miles."  On  the  3d  of  February,  1864,  an  expedition 
was  made  by  General  Sherman  into  central  Mississippi 
He  ordered  General  F.  W.  Smith  to  start  from  Memphis,  on 
the  1st,  with  eight  thousand  cavalry,  and  to  move  toward 
Meridian;  while  he,  himself,  left  Vicksburg  on  the  3d,  with 
twenty  thousand  infantry  and  twelve  hundred  cavalry,  with 
provisions  for  twenty  days.  He  marched  east  across  the 


GRANT'S  FUTURE  PLANS.  405 

Big  Black,  by  way  of  Champion  Hills,  Clinton,  and  Jackson, 
and  by  the  middle  of  the  month  reached  Meridian,  the  great 
railroad  centre.  His  intention  was  to  cut  off  Mobile  from 
the  aid  of  General  Johnston,  who  had  succeeded  Bragg  ir 
the  command  of  the  Confederate  army  in  the  West.  Ho 
proposed  to  defeat  Polk,  who  was  in  his  front,  destroy  the 
military  depots  and  supplies  within  his  reach,  and  then  make 
a  descent  on  Mobile,  which  Admiral  Farragut  was  bombard- 
ing. General  Smith,  who,  meanwhile,  had  not  moved  until 
the  llth,  encountered  the  enemy  at  Okalona,  and  being  de 
feated  with  loss,  was  compelled  to  return  to  Memphis 
Sherman  in  vain  waited  for  his  coming,  and  after  destroying 
one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  of  railroad,  and  killing,  wound- 
ing, or  capturing  five  hundred  rebels,  had  to  retrace  his  stepa 
to  Yicksburg.  On  the  expedition,  he  had  freed  eight  thou- 
sand negroes,  and  seized  many  horses. 

The  same  order,  of  the  12th  of  March,  which  gave  Grant 
the  command  of  all  the  armies  of  the  United  States,  trans- 
ferred that  which  he  had  lately  held  to  General  Sherman. 
It  comprised  the  Military  Department  of  the  Mississippi,  and 
included  the  departments  of  the  Ohio,  the  Cumberland,  tha 
Tennessee,  and  Arkansas.  The  subordinate  com  manders  of 
Sherman  were,  Generals  McPberson,  Hooker,  Thomas,  How 
ard,  Hurlbut,  Logan,  Schofield,  and  Kilpatrick,  the  latter 
being  in  command  of  the  cavalry.  The  two  objective  points 
in  Grant's  plan,  were  Richmond  and  Atlanta,  against  each 
p  f  which  he  determined  to  move  a  great  army,  to  act  sim- 
Itaneously — the  future  will  show  with  what  success. 


CHAPTER  XL. 
SEPTEMBER,  1863— MAY,  1864. 

•IANT'B  RESPONSIBILITIES — CALL  FOR  HALF  A  MILLION  or  TROOPS — mi 

EXPEDITION  INTO  FLORIDA — BATTLE  OF  OLUSTEE — KILPATRICS's  RAID 
INTO  RICHMOND — DEATH  OF  DAHLORKN — RAID  OF  FORREST  INTO  KEN- 
TUCKY— SURRENDER  OF  UNION  CITY — ATTACK  ON  PADUCAH — MASSACRB 
AT  FORT  PILLOW — THE  RED  RIVER  EXPEDITION — MARCH  TO  ALEXANDRIA 
— DEFEAT  OF  BANKS — STEELK  RETREATS — RETURN  OF  THE  GUNBOATS  TO 
ALEXANDRIA — ENGINEERING  SKILL  OF  COLONEL  BAILEY — HIS  PROMOTION 

THE  GUNBOATS  SIGNAL  AND  COVINGTON,  AND  THE  TRANSPORT    WARNER 

DESTROYED RETURN    OF     THE     EXPEDITION— END    OF    BANKS*    MILITARY 

CAREER — RETURNS  TO  NEW  ORLEANS — CANBY  IN  THE  FIELD. 

GRANT,  on  assuming  the  command  of  all  the  armies  of 
the  United  States,  had  a  vast  territory  under  his  control,  ex- 
tending from  the  Potomac  to  the  Rio  Grande,  an  extent  of 
over  five  thousand  miles.  In  all  this  wide  area,  thousands 
upon  thousands  of  men  awaited  his  commands  ;  six  hundred 
war  vessels  lined  the  rivers  and  coasts  for  twenty-five  hun 
dred  miles,  and  four  thousand  cannon  were  ready  to  hurl 
destruction  on  the  foe.  The  earth  swarmed  with  the  hosts 
going  forth  to  battle.  In  the  North,  all  was  bustle  and  mil- 
itary preparation.  The  giants  of  the  North  and  Soutn  were 
about  to  grapple  in  a  deadly  struggle,  in  which  one  or  the 
Dther  must  succumb. 

The  President,  on  the  1st  of  February,  ordered  a  draft 
for  five  hundred  thousand  men,  to  take  place  on  the  10th 
of  March.  On  the  6th  of  February,  an  expedition  of  the 
Union  forces  left  Port  Royal  for  Jacksonville,  Florida,  and 
reached  that  place  the  next  day.  The  expedition  consisted 
of  twenty  steamers,  eight  schooners,  and  five  thousand 
troops.  The  object  was  to  penetrate  as  far  as  Lake  City, 
and  cut  the  railroad  at  Suwanee  river.  General  Gilmore 
commanded,  and  after  despatching  Seymour's  command  to 
Baldwin,  and  another  force  to  Sanderson,  he  returned  to 
Jacksonville,  and  left  Seymour  in  command  in  the  field. 
The  latter  advanced  one  hundred  miles  inland,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  destroying  t/  .e  railroad  near  the  Savannah  river.  On 
(«*) 


KILPATRICK'S  RAID — DEATH  OP  DAHLQREN.       407 

the  18th,  the  army  struck  its  tents  and  marched  seventeen 
miles,  and  moving  on  the  next  day,  had  advanced  but 
sixteen  miles  on  the  way  to  Lake  City,  when  the  enemy  was 
encountered.  Hamilton's  battery  went  into  action  with  four 
officers,  eighty -two  men,  fifty  horses,  and  four  pieces ;  from 
its  close  proximity  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  yards  to  the 
enemy's  line,  half  of  this  force  of  men  and  artillery  was  lost 
in  twenty  minutes.  The  different  regiments,  as  they  wheeled 
into  position,  were  swept  with  a  destructive  fire  \  yet  the 
fight  continued  with  great  fury,  from  two  P.  M.  until  dark 
when  Seymour,  who  had  struggled  in  vain  to  gain  the  battle, 
Jvithdrew  his  shattered  forces,  and  leaving  the  wounded  in 
the  hands  of  the  enemy,  marched  all  night  to  Barbour.  One 
fifth  of  his  army  of  five  thousand  men  was  lost  in  this  dis- 
astrous fight,  which  is  known  as  the  battle  of  Olustee,  as  it 
took  place  near  a  railroad  station  of  that  name.  The  occur- 
rence produced  much  indignation  in  the  North,  and  was 
condemned  by  many  as  a  wanton  sacrifice  of  the  Union 
troops. 

On  the  28th,  General  Kilpatrick,  with  five  hundred  chosen 
cavalry,  started  on  an  expedition  which  had  the  noble  object 
of  setting  at  liberty  the  seventeen  thousand  patriots  who 
were  languishing  in  the  different  prisons  of  Richmond.  Col- 
onel Dahlgren,  after  having  been  led  astray  through  the 
treachery  of  a  guide,  and  fallen  into  an  ambuscade,  was 
shot  down,  and  all  but  seventeen  of  his  party  of  two  hun- 
dred killed  or  captured.  The  body  of  this  gallant  young 
officer  was  treated  with  shameful  indignity — unworthy  even 
of  the  ferocious  savage — and  was  buried  in  the  middle  of  the 
road.  By  his  loss,  a  part  of  the  programme  failed,  and  Kil- 
patrick, having  carried  the  first  line  of  rebel  works,  receiving 
no  reply  to  the  signal,  at  which  Dahlgren  was  to  advance, 
was  obliged  to  retire  from  the  strong  force  now  threat- 
ening his  retreat.  His  praiseworthy  design  was  thus  frus- 
trated, and  he  returned  with  his  command  to  Yorktown. 

On  the  24th  of  March,  Forrest,  at  the  head  of  the  rebel 
forces  in  Tennessee,  attacked  Union  City,  which  was  shame- 
fully surrendered  by  Colonel  Hawkins.  With  six  thousand 
men,  Forrest,  the  next  day,  made  an  attack  on  Paducah, 
Kentucky,  which  was  defended  by  Colonel  S.  Gr.  Hicks,  with 
six  hundred  and  fifty-five  men.  Hicks  refused  to  surrender, 
retired  to  Fort  Anderson,  while  the  gunboats  on  tht 


408  MASSACRE   AT   FORT   FILLOW. 

river,  commanded  by  Captain  Shirk,  came  up  to  his  assi8« 
tance.  Forrest  declared  that  no  quarter  would  be  given,  it 
the  place  should  be  taken  by  assault.  The  women  and  chil- 
dren were  removed  under  a  flag  of  truce ;  Forrest,  in  the  mean- 
while, taking  a  position  nearer  the  fort.  His  sharpshooters, 
mingling  with  the  women  and  children,  picked  off  the  offi- 
cers on  the  gunboats,  who  could  not  fire  without  killing  the 
women  and  children,  whom  these  monsters  had  placed  in 
front  of  their  line.  Three  desperate  assaults  on  the  fcrt 
proved  ineffectual,  and  the  rebels  were  repulsed  with  a  loss 
of  three  hundred  killed,  and  one  thousand  wounded ;  the 
loss  of  the  brave  patriots  being  but  sixty.  The  baffled  rebel, 
Forrest,  then  withdrew. 

On  the  12th  of  April,  he  appeared  before  Fort  Pillow, 
which  is  situated  on  a  high  bluff,  on  the  banks  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi, and  was,  at  that  time,  garrisoned  by  five  hundred 
and  fifty-seven  men,  under  command  of  Major  Booth ;  two 
hundred  and  sixty-two  of  the  garrison  were  colored  troops. 
At  sunrise,  the  attack  was  made,  and  Major  Booth,  who  was 
in  command  of  the  colored  troops,  being  killed,  the  com- 
mand devolved  on  Major  Bradford.  Up  to  three  P.  M.,  the 
rebels  made  no  progress,  and  were  greatly  annoyed  by  the 
shells  of  the  gunboat  New  Era,  commanded  by  Captain 
Marshall.  Forrest  now  resorted  to  his  usual  mean  and  cow- 
ardly stratagem  of  a  flag  of  truce,  under  cover  of  which  he  de- 
termined to  gain  nearer  access  to  the  fort,  which  he  could  not 
otherwise  capture.  In  reply  to  a  demand  of  surrender,  Major 
Bradford  asked  for  an  hour,  in  which  to  consult  his  officers, 
lie  was  allowed  twenty  minutes,  and  Forrest,  meanwhile, 
gained  an  advantageous  position.  Bradford  refused  to  surren- 
der, whereupon  a  sudden  rush  was  made,  the  ramparts  cleared, 
and  the  cry  raised  of  "no  quarter."  The  troops,  black  and 
white,  threw  down  their  arms,  and  some  cast  themselves  from 
the  steep  bluffs,  while  others  hid  in  the  brush,  or  took  refuge  in 
the  water.  An  indiscriminate  massacre  resulted,  in  which  age, 
sex,  and  color  shared  but  onb  common  doom,  at  which  human- 
itv  shudders.  Even  childhood  and  sickness  were  no  protec- 
tion ;  little  children  were  shot  down,  and  even  were  hewn  in 
pieces.  The  whole  number  murdered  was  about  four  hun* 
dred,  very  few  escaping.  It  was,  indeed,  a  most  fiendish  act 
and  its  perpetrators  deserve  a  more  than  human  punishment 

The  action  required  and  obtained  investigation  from  the 


THE    RED   RiVER   EXPEDITION.  409 

/oint  Committee  on  the  Conduct  and  Expenditures  of  the 
War,  and  the  voluminous  evidence  in  the  report,  which  was 
afterward  published,  proves  an  atrocity  and  cruelty  almost 
impossible  for  an  American  to  believe. 

General  Banks,  at  New  Orleans,  having  been  reinfoiced 
from  Grant's  army,  in  September,  sent  General  Franklin  to 
capture  Sabine  City,  on  the  Sabine  river,  on  the  boundary 
line  between  Louisiana  and  Texas.  Four  gunboats,  and  one 
handred  and  eighty  sharpshooters,  were  detached  to  co-ope- 
rate with  him.  The  land  force  consisted  of  four  thousand 
men  of  the  Nineteenth  corps.  The  rebel  batteries  were  found 
to  be  too  powerful  for  the  gunboats  ;  the  Clifton  and  Sachem 
being  disabled,  and  captured  with  all  on  board.  The  expe- 
dition was  therefore  compelled  to  return  to  Brashear  City. 
The  army,  on  the  21st  of  October,  occupied  Opelousas.  On 
November  3d,  there  was  a  severe  fight  near  Bayou  Bour- 
beau,  which  was  unattended  by  any  results  of  importance. 
In  September,  Little  Rock,  Arkansas,  was  captured  by  Gen- 
eral Steele. 

An  important  expedition,  also  under  General  Banks,  was 
made  into  Texas,  in  November.  At  Esperanza,  the  garri- 
son, after  exploding  the  magazine,  fled,  leaving  ten  guns, 
which  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  Federal  troops.  By  the  9th 
of  November,  General  Banks  had  possession  of  Brazos 
Island,  Point  Isabel,  and  Brownsville.  The  army  advanced, 
northeast,  one  hundred  miles,  to  Araugas,  and  captured 
one  hundred  prisoners  and  three  guns.  The  commander  of 
the  rebel  forces,  Magruder,  it  was  expected,  would  soon  bo 
driven  out  of  Texas,  of  which  A.  J.  Hamilton,  a  fire-tried 
patriot,  was  now  appointed  Military  Governor  by  the  Union- 
ists. The  expedition,  however,  was  soon  abandoned,  and 
Banks  returned  to  New  Orleans.  Here,  after  inaugurating 
the  Free  State  Government,  on  the  4th  of  March  (1864),  he 
bad  a  combined  naval  and  land  expedition  fitted  out,  which 
became  well  known  as  the  "  Bed  River  Cotton  Expedition/' 

On  the  10th  of  March,  Porter,  with  a  large  fleet  of  gun- 
boats and  transports,  conveyed  a  portion  of  Sherman's  army 
from  Vicksburg,  and  proceeded  to  Alexandria.  The  desti- 
nation was  Shreveport,  on  the  Red  river,  the  great  depot  of 
supplies  for  the  rebel  ar,my.  On  the  passage  up  the  river, 
Smith,  moving  rapidly  by  a  land  march,  captured  Fort  De 
Russy,  with  three  hundred  prisoners,  and  ten  guns.  Tho 
36 


410  DEFEAT   OF   GENERAL   BA1TE5. 

land  forces  joined  Porter  on  the  17th,  at  Alexandria,  and  th« 
army  now  moved  on  Shreveport,  three  hundred  miles  oflj 
while  the  gunboats  slowly  proceeded  up  the  shallow  winding 
river  toward  the  same  point.  General  Steele,  commanding 
in  Arkansas,  was  to  advance  on  Shreveport,  from  Little 
Bock,  to  keep  Price  from  joining  Kirby  Smith,  in  Louisiana, 
and  was  also  to  operate  in  the  rear  of  Shreveport,  while  Banka 
mo>od  on  the  town  in  front.  The  army  was  scattered  in  the 
rear,  an«l  the  cavalry,  having  advanced  within  forty  miles  of 
Man^Seld,  encountered  the  rebels  on  the  8th  of  April. 

The  Seventh  cavalry,  under  Colonel  Robinson,  drove  the 
enemy  betore  them,  and  pursuing,  came  upon  a  body  of  in- 
fantry, which,  after  a  brisk  action,  was  also  repulsed.  But 
Kirby  Smith  knew  the  condition  of  the  Union  forces,  and 
while  ihe  infantry  brigade  of  Colonel  Landrum,  and  the 
cavalry  of  Colonel  Lucas,  advanced,  they  were  suddenly 
confronted  by  a  rebel  force,  from  fifteen  thousand  to  twenty 
thousand  strong. 

Meanwhile,  General  Ransom  had  arrived  with  his  troops, 
accompanied  by  General  Banks.  The  latter  sent  word  to 
Franklin,  in  the  rear,  to  hurry  up  with  all  speed  with  his 
corps.  Kirby  Smith  pressed  his  advantage,  and  the  Federal 
cavalry  were  terribly  routed.  A  panic  ensued,  which  was 
increased  by  the  frightened  teamsters,  and  the  wagons  block- 
ading the  road.  The  cavalry,  thus  routed,  fell  back  on  the 
Thirteenth  corps,  under  Franklin,  which  formed,  advanced, 
and  fought  the  enemy  bravely,  but  was  flanked  and  routed. 
Every  thing  seemed  lost,  when  at  this  crisis,  General  Emory's 
corps,  the  Nineteenth,  in  line  of  battle,  was  prepared  to  meet 
the  exultant  foe.  The  shattered  columns  of  Franklin  were 
allowed  to  pass  to  the  rear,  and  the  closing  line  stood  firm, 
till  the  approach  of  night  ended  the  conflict. 

General  A.  J.  Smith,  with  the  Sixteenth  and  Seventeenth 
army  corps,  had  now  reached  Pleasant  Hill,  and  drawn  up 
his  troops  bejiind  a  low  ridge.  The  enemy,  flushed  with 
success,  advanced  next  day.  Emory  had  formed  his  line  in 
front  of  Smith,  and  dealing  a  heavy  blow  at  the  enemy,  re- 
tired, as  agreed  upon  previously  between  these  Union  gen- 
erals. Smith  had  ordered  his  men  to  lay  flat  on  the  ground. 
When  the  rebels  came  within  range,  seven  thousand  muskets 
poured  into  them  a  fearful  volley,  the  artillery  swept  them 
with  terrible  slaughter,  and  a  gallant  charge  now  drove  them 


KNGIXEERINO  SKILL  OF  LIEUT.-COLONEL  BAILEY.     411 

from  the  field.  General  Banks  continued  u  retreat,  notwith- 
standing this  decided  repulse  of  the  enemy,  and  informing 
Admiral  Porter  of  his  disaster,  instructed  him  to  fall  back  and 
meet  him  at  Grand  Ecore.  From  this  point,  the  retreat  was  con- 
tinued to  Alexandria,  and  was  unmolested,  except  at  Monet's 
Bluff,  where  a  hostile  attack  was  repulsed  with  heavy  loss. 

Meanwhile,  Steele,  in  marching  from  Little  Rock,  suffered 
the  loss  of  his  wagon  train,  which  was  cut  off  and  destroyed 
near  Camden.  On  the  1st  of  May,  Marmaduke  threatened 
his  rear,  and  thus  compelled  him  to  fall  back.  Being  greatly 
pressed,  at  Saline  Falls,  by  Price,  he  turned  about,  and  made 
so  furious  an  attack  upon  the  latter,  that  the  retreat  further 
was  unmolested,  and  Steele,  with  his  command,  safely  arrived 
at  Little  Rock. 

During  this  time,  the  enemy,  above  and  below  Alexandria, 
on  the  Red  river,  in  large  numbers,  were  harassing  Admiral 
Porter,  who  was  much  discouraged  at  the  want  of  a  rise  in 
the  river.  Forage  was  getting  scarce,  the  army  would  soon 
have  to  move,  and  it  was  not  improbable  that  the  fleet  would 
have  to  be  destroyed,  in  order  to  prevent  its  falling  into  the 
hands  of  the  enemy.  In  this  distressing  situation,  Lieuten- 
ant-colonel Bailey  (afterward  a  general)  proposed  by  a 
series  of  dams  across  the  rocks,  at  the  lower  falls,  to  raise 
water  deep  enough  to  float  the  boats  over  the  upper  falls. 
He  promised  to  perform  this  feat  in  ten  days,  and  General 
Banks  placed  three  thousand  men  and  three  hundred  wagons 
at  his  disposal.  On  the  left  bank,  a  dam,  made  of  fallen 
trees,  was  run  out  three  hundred  feet,  at  the  end  of  which, 
four  coal  barges,  filled  with  brick,  were  sunk.  From  the 
bank  opposite,  cribs,  filled  with  stone,  met  the  barges.  The 
work  was  done,  and  the  rising  water  would  have  sufficed,  in 
another  day,  to  float  the  boats  over  the  upper  falls.  Or 
the  9th  of  May,  the  heavy  volume  of  water  forced  two  of  the 
barges  from  their  places,  and  the  water  rushing  down,  threat- 
ened the  whole  with  speedy  destruction.  Porter  was  deeply 
moved  at  this  sad  catastrophe,  and  feared  that  the  men  would 
not  rebuild  the  dam,  constructed  at  so  much  labor.  The 
best  engineers  had  ridiculed  the  project  as  an  impossibility, 
but  Colonel  Bailey  had  possessed  too  much  experience  iu 
floating  logs  on  the  western  waters,  to  doubt  his  success. 

Now  was  the  time  for  Admiral  Porter,  and  mounting  his 
horse,  he  galloped  up  the  bank,  and  ordered  the  Lexington 


412        SUCCESS  OF   COLONEL   BAILEY'S   EXPERIMENT. 

to  pass  the  falls.  Her  attempt  succeeded,  and  she  then  pro 
ceeded  direct  for  the  shute  in  the  dam,  while  the  thousands  of 
spectators  held  their  breath.  With  a  full  head  of  steam,  hei 
gallant  commander  stood  watching  the  crisis  of  his  fate 
The  vessel  came  on,  sloped  down  the  water,  and  plunged 
i  nto  the  surge,  which  seemed  to  overwhelm  her,  as  she  rolled 
and  pitched  from  side  to  side.  She  was  caught  en  a  rock 
for  a  moment,  but  soon  righted.  Thirty  thousand  voices 
laised  an  approving  cheer.  The  Neosho  came  next,  but  her 
frightened  pilot,  as  he  saw  the  deep  poul  bcibre  him,  stopped 
the  engine.  Her  hull  disappeared,  but  she  soon  rose  and 
passed  through,  with  only  a  hole  in  her  bottom,  which  waa 
easily  mended.  "The  Ilindman  and  Osage  now  came 
through  beautifully."  This  accident  to  the  dam,  and  partial 
success  of  the  experiment,  encouraged  the  men  to  rebuild 
it.  Bailey  left  a  gap  in  the  dam  fifty  feet  wide,  and  built 
wing  dams  above,  to  relieve  the  pressure.  The  work  waa 
finished  in  three  days.  On  the  llth  and  12th,  six  gunboata 
and  two  tugs  crossed  the  falls  above,  and  successfully  passed 
the  shute  of  the  dam,  amid  the  cheers  of  the  whole  army. 
This  great  feat  of  engineering  skill  delighted  Porter,  who 
commended  its  author,  Colonel  Bailey,  in  the  highest  terms, 
and  the  Government  promoted  him  to  the  rank  of  Briga- 
dier-general, a  compliment  richly  merited. 

The  fleet  did  not  escape  without  some  loss.  The  boat 
Warner,  loaded  with  cotton,  was  convoyed  by  the  gunboats 
Signal  and  Covington,  which  had  been  sent  down  for  that 
purpose  from  Alexandria.  About  thirty  miles  below,  the 
Warner  was  assailed  by  concealed  batteries,  her  boilers 
pierced,  and  she  became  a  helpless  wreck.  Two  hundred 
soldiers  on  board  were  killed,  and  others,  in  trying  to  escape, 
shared  the  same  fate.  The  Signal  and  Covington,  coming 
to  the  relief  of  the  transport,  had  their  steam  pipes  cut,  and 
their  boilers  penetrated  with  shot.  In  a  contest  gallantly 
maintained  for  five  hours,  the  ammunition  of  the  Covington 
was  expended,  and  Lieutenant  G.  P.  Lord,  commanding, 
spiked  his  guns,  fired  the  vessel,  and  brought  oft'  the  portion 
of  the  crew  that  remained.  The  boat  soon  after  exploded. 
Lieutenant  Edward  Morgan,  of  the  Signal,  contended  gal- 
lantly half  an  hour  longer,  but  his  decks  were  covered  with 
the  wounded,  and  he  could  not  fire  his  vessel.  All  eecapetf 
who  could,  but  many  fell  into  the  river,  brought  down,  w 


EJID  or  BANKS'  MILITARY  CAREER.  418 

tnc  act  of  climbing  the  banks,  by  the  sharpshooters  of  the 
enemy.  The  rebels  were  soon  driven  off  by  a  body  of  cav- 
alry, who  were  sent  out  by  General  Banks,  on  hearing  of 
these  disasters. 

The  fleet  and  army  now  returned  to  the  Mississippi,  Gen- 
eral Banks  returned  to  New  Orleans,  and  General  Canby 
replaced  him  in  the  field.  Thus  ended  this  unfortunate  ex- 
pedition ;  one  for  which  General  Grant  was  not  responsible, 
as  it  was  planned  before  the  new  order  of  things  was  in- 
augurated. With  this  expedition,  the  military  career  of 
General  Banks  ended. 


CHAPTER  XLI. 

MAY,   1864. 

MILITARY  MOVEMENTS — BUTLER  AT  BERMUDA  HUNDRBD DRURt's 

WILSON'S  WHARF — ATTACK  ON  PKTKRSBCRO CHANGES  IN  THK  COXP3— • 

GRANT'S  PLAN — BATTLE  OF  THE  WILDERNESS — FIRST  DAY'S  FIGHT — SBC- 
OND  DAY'S  BATTLE— LEE  ATTACKS  THE  LEFT  AND  CENTRE — HIS  FAILUBS, 
AND  DESPERATE  ASSAULT  ON  THE  RIGHT — WADSWORTH  MORTALLY  WOUND- 
BD — GALLANTRY  OF  SEDGWICK — THIRD  DAY'S  BATTLE — LEE'S  PLAN  TO  OUT- 
FLANK GRANT — DEATH  OF  SEDGWICK — BATTLE  OF  BPOTTSYLVANIA — 
•RANT'S  DESPATCH— TERRIBLE  BATTLE  OF  THE  12TH — DESPERATE  FIGHT- 
ING — THE  LOSSES — RESULTS  FAVORABLE  TO  THE  UNION  SIDE — RECON- 
NOISSANCES — BATTLE  OF  MAY  18TH — THK  REPULSE — TORBERT  AT  GUIN- 
NEY'S  STATION. 

THE  notes  of  preparation  now  resounded  on  all  sides,  and 
armies,  greater  than  any  heretofore,  were  about  to  commence 
a  campaign,  equal  in  importance  to  any  recorded  on  the 
pages  of  history.  The  vast  army  under  Grant,  had  for  its 
objective  point,  Lee's  army,  wherever  found;  that  under 
General  Sherman,  Atlanta — Richmond,  the  head,  and  At- 
lanta, the  heart  of  the  Confederacy,  being  aimed  at  simul- 
taneously. The  campaigns  of  the  spring  and  summer  of 
1864,  were  on  a  far  more  extensive  scale  than  those  of  any 
previous  year  of  the  war. 

The  Confederate  army  under  Lee,  WLS  far  superior  in 
numbers  and  discipline  to  any  which  that  general  had  ever 
before  commanded,  and  gave  him  hopes  that  victory  would 
crown  his  efforts ;  but  he  had  now  to  contend  with  an  an- 
tagonist \v  10  possessed  great  abilities  as  a  strategist,  was  fer- 
tile  in  resources,  knew  no  such  word  as  fail,  and  possessed 
an  iron  will  and  indomitable  energy,  which  never  fell  short 
of  carrying  out  his  purposes. 

The  army  under  General  Meade  (including  the  reserves, 
commanded  by  Burnside,  then  at  Annapolis)  was  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  thousand  strong.  The  head-quarters  were 
near  Culpepper,  on  the  Eapidan.  Major-general  Butler's 
command,  afterward  called  the  Army  of  the  James,  consist- 
ing of  the  Array  of  Southeast  Virginia  and  North  Carolina ; 
(414) 


BERMUDA    UL'NUKKD — DRURY'S   BLUFF.  415 

the  Tenth  corps  (Gilmore's),  from  the  Department  of  the 
South,  and  the  Eighteenth  corps,  from  Louisiana,  numbered 
forty  thousand  men,  and  lay  at  and  around  Fortress  Mon- 
roe. Sigel  commanded  ten  thousand  men  in  the  Shenan- 
doah  valley,  and  Generals  Crook  and  Averill  had  an  army 
of  twenty  thousand  men  in  Western  Virginia.  The  army  in 
the  Shenandoah  valley  was  to  be  put  in  motion  simultane- 
ously with  the  advance  of  the  main  army  ;  Crook  and  Aver  • 
ill  were  to  co-operate  with  Sigel ;  and  the  army  under  Gen 
eral  Butler,  was  to  act  in  unison  with  that  commanded  by 
General  Meade. 

The  advance  commenced  on  the  4th  of  May.  The  Tenth 
and  Eighteenth  corps,  having  previously  reached  Yorktown 
and  Gloucester  Point,  embarked  on  transports,  on  the  4th, 
and  made  a  feint  of  proceeding  up  York  river ;  but  Gen- 
eral Butler  secretly  descended  the  same  by  night,  and  moved 
ip  the  James,  with  a  large  squadron  of  gunboats,  four  mon- 
itors, and  the  iron-clad  Atlanta.  Part  of  the  troops  were 
.anded  at  City  Point,  and  Butler,  proceeding  with  the  rest  to 
Bermuda  Hundred,  there  intrenched. 

On  the  6th,  he  ascertained  the  enemy's  position,  and  on 
the  day  following,  in  a  demonstration  toward  Petersburg, 
after  a  brisk  engagement  with  a  hostile  force,  succeeded 
in  reaching  and  cutting  the  railroad.  During  this  coup  de 
main,  Colonel  Kautz  was  sent  with  a  body  of  cavalry  to 
Durn  the  railroad  bridge  below  Petersburg;  thus,  for  the  time, 
cutting  off  a  portion  of  Beauregard's  force  which  had  not  yet 
reached  the  city,  while  Colonel  West  also  moved  from  Wil- 
liamsburg,  with  two  colored  regiments,  and  successfully  de- 
monstrated on  Lee's  lines,  north  of  the  James  river.  By  re- 
counoissances  in  force  in  the  direction  of  Kichmond,  on  the 
south  side  of  the  James,  General  Butler  destroyed  much  of 
the  railroad  between  that  city  and  Petersburg,  while  the 
rest  of  his  troops  were  engaged  in  fortifying  at  Bermuda 
Hundred,  and  at  City  Point.  He  then  proceeded  to  besiege 
Fort  Darling,  at  Drury's  Bluffj  on  the  James,  which  had  been 
unsuccessfully  bombarded  by  the  iron-clads,  as  hitherto  re- 
corded. The  outer  line  of  earthworks  was  carried  on  the 
13th  of  May,  and  the  troops,  moving  toward  the  second  line, 
were  bringing  the  artillery  to  bear  on  it,  but  committed  the 
fatal  blunder  of  neglecting  to  intrench. 

On  the  16th,  tae  enemy,  reinforced  bj  moft  of  Beaure- 


416        GENERAL    BUTLER'S   ATTACK    ON    PETERSBURG. 

gard's  army,  and  favored  by  a  dark  mist,  made  a  sally,  and 
assaulting  the  Union  lines  with  great  vigor,  forced  back  the 
right  wing,  and  so  completely  flanked  it,  as  to  compel  the 
whole  army  to  fall  back  into  the  intrenchments  at  Bermuda 
Hundred.  The  Confederates  did  not  pursue.  Butler,  in 
this  action,  lost  nearly  five  thousand  troops,  killed,  wounded 
and  captured. 

On  the  20th  of  May,  an  attack  of  the  rebel  army,  on  the 
troops  at  Bermuda  Hundred,  was  repulsed  with  a  loss  of  two 
hundred  and  sixty-three  left  dead  and  wounded  upon  the 
field,  and  an  acknowledged  loss  of  over  six  hundred.  The 
Union  loss  was  heavy,  but  the  position  was  maintaineu  An 
attack  upon  the  same  place  by  the  rebels,  on  the  night  of  the 
21st,  with  infantry  and  artillery,  also  met  with  a  severe 
repulse. 

On  the  24th  of  May,  Fitzhugh  Lee,  with  a  brigade  of 
rebel  cavalry,  moved  on  Wilson's  wharf,  on  the  north  side 
of  the  James,  and  demanded  of  General  Wild,  in  command 
of  two  regiments  of  colored  troops,  the  surrender  of  the 
place.  The  demand  was  refused,  and  the  foiled  enemy,  after 
a  severe  conflict,  in  which  the  ground  was  strewn  with  his 
dead  and  wounded,  was  compelled  to  withdraw.  On  the 
27th  and  28th,  the  Eighteenth  corps,  General  William  F. 
Smith,  was  secretly  withdrawn,  embarked  at  White  House, 
and  sent  to  reinforce  General  Grant.  All  of  Beau  regard's 
troops  that  could  be  spared,  were  sent  to  General  Lee. 

General  Butler,  on  the  10th  of  June,  made  a  combined 
attack  on  Petersburg.  General  Gilmorc  approached  it  on 
the  north  with  five  thousand  five  hundred  troops ;  a  fine 
body  of  cavalry,  under  General  Kautz,  attacked  it  from  the 
south ;  while  General  Butler,  with  ihe  rest  of  the  troops, 
supported  by  the  gunboats,  assaulted  it  from  the  northeast 
*nd  east.  General  Kautz,  after  a  severe  contest,  forced  his 
way  into  the  city,  and  General  Butler  and  the  gunboats 
made  a  vigorous  assault,  but  General  Gilmore  found  the 
works  in  his  front  too  strong,  and  withdrew,  which  caused 
General  Kautz  also  to  retire.  With  this  attempt,  ended  tha 
independent  movements  of  the  Army  of  the  James  which 
was  afterward  under  the  direct  control  of  General  Grant, 
in  his  subsequent  operations  against  Richmond  and  Peters 
burg.  The  five  corps  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  were 
aonsolidated  by  Lieutenant-general  Grant  into  three.  The 


ADVANCE   OP   TH«   ARMY  OF  THE   POTOMAC.          417 

Second  was  commanded  by  Major-general  W.  S.  Hancock 
the  Fifth,  by  Major-general  G.  B.  Warren,  and  the  Sixth, 
by  Major-general  John  Sedgwick.  The  reserve  corps  from 
the  Ninth  (Burnside's)  had  two  divisions  of  colored  troops, 
and  was  recruited  up  to  forty  thousand  men.  The  cavalry 
was  a  full  corps,  under  Major-general  Philip  H.  Sheridan. 
The  Lieutenant-general  was  with  the  army  in  person,  and 
directed  its  important  movements,  but  the  way  in  which  they 
were  carried  out,  was  left  to  General  Meade,  in  command. 

Grant's  design  was  to  move  on  Lee's  right  flank,  and 
compel  him,  in  order  to  protect  his  communications,  to  fall 
back  on  Richmond,  in  which,  a  part  of  the  plan  of  the  Union 
general  was  to  shut  up  the  Confederate  army,  and  at  once 
overthrow  both  it  and  the  "  Confederacy."  He  foresaw  that 
it  would  require  time  for  the  weakening  or  surrender  of  the 
rebel  army,  and  that  its  retirement  toward  Richmond  would 
bring  the  Union  army  into  battle  grounds  much  more  favor- 
able than  the  region  on  which  Lee  was  now  encamped. 
Grant  hoped  to  succeed  in  his  flank  movement,  without  a 
battle,  but  was  prepared  should  such  an  event  take  place.  He 
shortly  discovered  that  Lee  was  ready  to  fight  him  almost  aa 
soon  as  he  should  make  the  first-movement  on  his  right  flank. 

On  the  morning  of  the  4th  of  May,  Hancock's  corps 
crossed  the  river  at  Ely's,  and  the  corps  of  Warren  and 
Sedgwick  at  Germania  ford.  The  entire  force  had  crossed 
the  Rapidan  at  noon.  The  region  on  which  the  troops  now 
entered  was  called  the  Wilderness,  on  which  a  portion  of 
the  battle  of  Chancellorsville  had  been  fought.  It  was  a 
marshy  soil,  full  of  forest  trees,  shrubs  and  brambles  which 
presented  great  obstacles  to  the  use  of  artillery,  and  no  slight 
difficulty  to  the  movements  of  infantry.  The  road  to  Chan- 
cellorsville and  Fredericksburg  was  patrolled  by  Gregg's 
cavalry,  and  Wilson's  cavalry  performed  the  same  duty  at 
Parker's  Store  and  Orange  Court  House.  The  battle  field 
of  Chancellorsville  was  occupied  by  the  Second  corps ;  th 
Fifth  lay  around  Old  Wilderness  tavern,  and  the  Sixth  be- 
tween the  latter  place  and  Germania  ford. 

On  the  morning  of  May  5th,  the  troops  marched  in  the 
following  order: — Warren's  corps  on  the  Spottsylvania 
road  to  Parker's  Store  ;  Sedgwick's  to  follow ;  Hancock  to 
move  toward  Shady  Church,  on  the  Pamunkey  road,  and  join 
Warren  on  the  left ;  and  Sheridan's  cavalry  to  engagt 


i!8  BATTLE   OF   THE   WILDERNESS. 

Stuart's.  The  enjmy  advanced,  under  Ewell  and  Hill ;  the 
former  on  the  road  from  Old  Vidiersville,  on  Mine  Run  ;  the 
latter  on  the  Spottsylvania  road,  on  which  Warren  was  ad- 
vancing. Skirmishing  took  place,  but  Grant  ordered  the 
inarch  to  continue  until  the  ridges  in  advance  were  gained, 
and  then  halting,  formed  the  troops  in  line  of  battle.  Some 
breastworks  were  quickly  thrown  up,  and  then  the  Union 
general  awaited  the  attack  of  the  enemy. 

Sedgwick  held  the  right  toward  the  Rapidan,  Warren  the 
centre,  near  Parker's  Store,  and  Hancock  the  left,  southeast 
of  Warren,  and  extending  toward  Shady  Grove  Church. 
The  line  was  five  miles  long,  the  centre  being  thrown  some- 
what forward.  At  noon,  Griffin's  division  of  Warren'a 
corps  was  ordered  to  feel  the  enemy,  on  the  right  and  left 
of  the  turnpike.  In  less  than  a  mile,  the  Confederates  under 
Ewell  were  encountered,  in  a  good  position  on  a  wooded 
slope.  In  a  brisk  engagement,  for  an  hour,  the  superior 
numbers  of  the  enemy  forced  back  the  brigades  of  Bartlett 
and  Ay  res  ;  especially  the  latter,  which  lost  two  guns,  and 
nearly  all  the  horses  killed  or  captured.  Griffin  was  relieved 
promptly,  and  the  enemy  checked,  by  the  divisions  of  Wads- 
worth  and  Robinson,  of  the  Fifth  corps.  Musketry  firing 
continued  an  hour,  and  a  clearing  being  made,  some  artil 
lery  was  used.  This  desperat'  attack  of  Lee  on  the  right 
centre,  to  destroy  the  Union  HJ  my  before  it  arrived  in  posi- 
tion, was  foiled,  and  they  were  at  last  forced  back. 

The  baffled  rebel  commander  now  massed  his  troops  on 
the  left  centre,  and  made  an  effort  to  force  his  way  between 
Warren  and  Hancock.  The  latter  general  had  been  recalled 
from  his  advance  on  Shady  Grove,  when  the  first  attack  was 
made,  and  marched  rapidly  across  to  fill  the  gap  in  the  line 
of  battle.  He  arrived  at  three  P.  Mv  when  the  rebel  advance 
was  moving  on,  to  push  between  the  two  corps.  Getty's 
division,  of  the  Sixth  corps,  had  been  sent  to  the  left,  beyond 
Warren,  and  had  been  joined  by  Mott's  division,  of  the  Sec- 
ond corps,  when  the  Confederate  general  A.  P.  Hill  en- 
countered the  stern  resistance  of  these  two  combined,  which 
gave  time  for  the  rest  of  Hancock's  corps  to  come  up,  and 
assail  the  rebel  right  with  a  hot  fire  of  musketry.  The 
divisions  of  Birney,  Barlow,  and  Gibbons  were  hurried  into 
the  fight,  and  for  hours,  musketry  rained  such  a  deadly 
storm  as  has  been  seldom  equalled.  The  dense  undergrowth 


BATTLE  OF  THE  WILDERNESS.  419 

prevented  the  use  of  artillery.  The  Secon  1  corps,  mostly 
veterans,  kept  three  times  its  own  number  at  bay ;  but  in 
order  to  relieve  the  terrible  pressure  upon  these  brave  war- 
riors, an  advance  of  the  whole  line  was  necessary.  In  the 
gathering  darkness,  the  Sixth  corps  (Sedgwick's)  pressed, 
and  drove  back  the  enemy,  putting  Ewell's  corps  in  extreme 
peril.  The  Union  right  had  thus  gained  some  ground,  and 
when  the  night  was  far  advanced,  the  combat  ended.  The 
fosses  on  both  sides  were  heavy,  and  nearly  equal. 

Grant  had  gained  the  important  information  of  the  posi- 
tion and  strength  of  the  rebels,  and  therefore  could  form  his 
troops  more  advantageously.  Burnside's  reserves  had  come 
up,  and  were  distributed  to  the  support  of  the  other  three 
corps.  The  line  remained  as  it  was,  running  from  north- 
west to  southeast. 

The  battle  was  resumed  at  dawn,  on  Friday,  May  6th ; 
Sedgwick's  corps,  on  the  right,  had  been  ordered  to  advance 
at  five  A.  M.,  but  the  Confederates  made  a  desperate  effort  to 
turn  its  flank,  which  proved  useless,  and  the  line  advanced 
a  few  hundred  yards.  Lee  massed  his  forces  on  the  right  at 
eight,  and  half  past  ten  A.  M.,  and  repeated  attempts  to  flank 
Sedgwick  again  proved  abortive,  both  sides  losing  heavily. 
The  patriots,  during  every  cessation  in  the  battle,  threw  up 
breastworks.  Hancock,  moving  out  at  dawn,  had  met  Hill's 
corps,  and  driven  it  back  two  miles,  toward  Parker's  Store, 
where  Longstreet  coming  up,  enabled  the  foe  to  hold  his 
ground,  though  with  the  loss  of  many  prisoners.  A  tempo- 
rary lull  then  succeeded,  after  which  the  rebels  attacked  the 
left  with  great  fury,  and  following  up  their  assault,  threw 
the  entire  line  into  some  confusion,  but  order  was  restored, 
and  the  assailants  checked  by  reinforcements  from  Burn- 
side's  corps. 

In  this  terrible  fight,  the  whole  line  surged  to  and  fro,  and 
the  dense  woods  were  filled  with  the  slain  and  wounded. 
The  right  and  centre  gained  some  ground,  but  this  brought 
them  before  the  enemy's  intrenched  line,  on  a  ridge  ap- 
proached only  through  a  wide  swamp,  and  having  its  front 
protected  by  an  enfilading  fire.  Twice  during  the  morning 
had  it  been  attacked,  without  success,  by  part  of  Warren's 
and  Sedgwick's  corps.  In  the  second  attack,  General  Jamea 
Wadsworth,  commanding  a  division  of  the  Fifth  corps,  waa 
mortally  wounded  and  captured.  He  was  recognized,  and 
faithfu'ly  attended  in  hn  last  moments. 


420  BATTLE   OF   THE   WILDERNESS. 

In  a  partial  lull,  about  noon,  Grant  concentrated  his  lines, 
and  brought  Burnside's  corps  to  fill  the  gap  between  Gen- 
erals Warren  and  Hancock;  and  the  latter  was  brought  for- 
ward toward  the  centre.  These  changes  were  scarcely  made, 
when  Longstreet  and  Hill  again  furiously  charged  the  left 
and  centre,  and  pushed  them  back  some  distance  Tho 
brunt  of  the  assault  at  the  juncture  of  the  left  and  centre,  waa 
well  sustained  by  Crawford's,  Carr's,  and  Stevenson's  divis- 
ions, of  the  Fifth,  Second,  and  Ninth  corps,  respectively. 
Stevenson's  division,  at  last,  was  forced  to  give  way,  and  aa 
the  Confederates  were  rushing  into  the  gap,  they  were  met  by 
a  severe  repulse  from  Carroll's  brigade,  which  had  been  sent 
by  Hancock  to  aid  the  patriots. 

Baffled  in  his  efforts  on  the  centre  and  left,  the  Confeder- 
ate general,  at  night,  suddenly,  and  with  great  fury,  assaulted 
the  right,  and,  flanking,  broke  the  brigades  of  Seymour  and 
Shaler,  on  its  extremity,  capturing  these  generals  and  a  large 
portion  of  their  troops.  By  immense  energy,  and  great  per- 
sonal exposure,  Sedgwick  held  his  position,  which  at  one 
time  was  in  extreme  danger.  The  flanking  of  this  position 
would  have  entailed  the  destruction  of  the  army.  The  losses 
of  this  day  were  heavy  on  both  sides,  the  result  indecisive 
and  the  two  armies  appeared  evenly  balanced. 

The  Union  right,  during  the  night,  was  drawn  back  ana 
strengthened,  and  the  patriots,  at  daybreak  on  the  7th,  resumed 
the  battle  with  artillery,  on  the  right  wing,  which  provoking 
no  response,  skirmishing  ensued,  in  which  they  had  the  ad- 
vantage. At  noon,  Lee  was  falling  back  to  his  second  line 
of  intrenchments,  at  Spottsylvania  Court  House,  abandoning 
his  strong  line  at  Mine  Run.  His  plan  was  to  outflank 
Grant  while  attempting  to  flank  him,  and  compel  him  V 
change  his  front,  or  have  his  line  broken  and  destroyed. 

On  Saturday  afternoon,  General  Sheridan,  with  four  cav- 
alry brigades,  fought  the  Confederate  cavalry  leader,  Stuart, 
»nd  maintained  his  position.  Meanwhile,  General  Lee  gave 
battle  to  the  pursuing  troops  as  often  as  they  pressed  upon 
him.  On  the  evening  of  the  same  day,  Fredericksburg  w-w 
occupied,  and  made  a  depot  for  the  Union  troops. 

The  corps  of  Burnside  and  Hancock  renewed  the  pursuit 
on  Sunday  morning,  the  8th,  and  on  Saturday  night,  War- 
ren took  the  Brock  road  past  Todd's  Tavern  to  Spottsylvania 
Court  House.  A  severe  battle  was  fought,  at  the  fcrmef 


BATTLE   OF   SPOTTSYLVAHIJL.  421 

place,  by  Bartlett's  brigade  of  Griffin's  division,  on  Sunday 
morning,  ir  which  the  enemy  were  repulsed.  Toward 
evening,  on  the  same  day,  General  Grant  ordered  an  ad- 
vance, in  which  the  Fifth  and  Sixth  corps  had  a  severe 
conflict  with  the  foe. 

No  general  battle  occurred  on  Monday,  the  9th,  until  even- 
ing. General  Sedgwick,  the  brave  commander  of  the  Sixth 
corps,  was  unfortunately  killed  during  the  day  by  a  sharp- 
shooter. Hancock  now  held  the  right,  Warren  the  centre, 
and  the  Sixth  corps  the  left.  These  changes  had  been  mado 
on  Sunday,  to  prevent  a  flank  movement  by  the  wary  foe. 
Toward  evening,  Grant  ordered  another  advance ;  the  Sec- 
oud  corps  led  the  attack  on  the  right,  and  Burnside  offered 
battle  on  the  left.  In  a  severe  contest  which  resulted,  artil- 
lery was  used  more  than  in  any  previous  engagement  of  the 
campaign,  and  alternate  charges  were  made  by  both  armies. 
Spottsylvania  Court  House  was  the  object  of  the  strife,  and 
the  enemy  still  held  it  when  the  battle  ended.  Hancock 
slowly  withdrew  his  troops,  who  had  lost  heavily. 

On  Tuesday,  May  10th,  there  occurred  the  most  terrible 
carnage  of  the  campaign.  The  Union  army  stretched  along 
the  Po,  six  miles ;  Hancock's  corps  was  on  the  south,  and  ttw 
other  troops  on  the  north;  Burnside  held  the  extreme  left; 
next  him  extended  the  Sixth  corps  (Wright's) ;  then  War- 
ren's ;  and  on  the  extreme  right  the  corps  of  Hancock.  The 
flanks  were  protected  by  artillery,  for  which  the  ground  was 
more  favorable  than  hitherto.  The  hostile  line,  strongly 
intrenched,  rested  its  right  on  the  Ny  river  and  its  left  on 
Glady's  Run.  The  position  was  well  supported  by  breast 
works ;  along  the  centre  extending  a  forest,  and  a  marsh 
partially  drained. 

The  battle  began  in  the  morning  with  a  furious  cannonade 
by  the  Federal  guns.  Burnside  skirmished  on  the  extreme 
left,  to  which  Mott's  division  of  Hancock's  corps  being  trans- 
ferred, the  advance  continued,  and  the  enemy's  right  was 
heavily  pressed.  Grant  now  ordered  an  attack  on  the  cen- 
tre, and  in  a  fierce  contest  of  several  hours,  the  enemy  were 
driven  to  their  rifle  pits,  which  fierce  and  repeated  charging, 
by  Gibbon's  division,  failed  to  capture.  In  this  action,  the 
Union  general  James  C.  Rice,  a  gallant  young  officer,  waa 
killed.  Barlow's  division,  the  only  remaining  one  of  the 
Second  corps,  on  the  right,  was  now  in  extreme  peril ;  the 
36 


422      BATTLl   OF   SPOTTSYLVANIA— GRANT'S   DESPATCH. 

enemy  had  flanked  it  before  it  could  be  withdrawn  north  of 
the  Po,  but  by  hard  fighting,  its  retreat  was  effected.  To 
ward  evening,  the  whole  line  made  a  fierce  assault,  in  which 
Upton's  brigade,  of  the  first  division,  Sixth  corps,  and  Bus- 
sell's  brigade,  from  the  third  division,  led  the  forlorn  hope, 
under  a  deadly  fire  scaled  the  enemy's  works,  and  captured 
one  thousand  prisoners  and  several  guns.  Not  being  sup- 
ported, they  fell  back,  and  night  again  ended  the  contest. 

On  Wednesday,  lith,  there  was  little  heavy  fighting. 
Bain  foil  in  the  afternoon,  and  the  two  armies  enjoyed  a  ces- 
sation of  hostilities,  except  some  artillery  firing.  Grant 
sent  his  famous  despatch  to  Secretary  Stanton,  as  follows: 
"  We  have  now  ended  the  sixth  day  of  very  hard  fighting. 
The  result  to  this  time  is  much  in  our  favor.  Our  losses 
have  been  heavy,  as  well  as  those  of  the  enemy.  I  think 
the  loss  of  the  enemy  must  be  greater.  We  have  taken  over 
five  thousand  prisoners  in  battle,  whilst  he  has  taken  from 
us  but  few,  except  stragglers.  I  propose  to  fight  it  out  on  this 
line,  if  it  takes  all  summer" 

The  most  terrible  conflict  was  yet  to  come.  On  Wednes- 
day night,  Hancock's  corps  was  transferred  from  the  right 
to  the  left,  between  Wright's  and  Burnside's  commands, 
leaving  General  Warren  on  the  right,  Generals  Wright  and 
Hancock  on  the  right  and  left  centre,  respectively,  and  Gen- 
eral Burnside  on  the  left  wing. 

On  Thursday,  May  12th,  at  dawn,  and  in  a  dense  fog,  the 
Second  corps  moved  cautiously  toward  the  enemy's  lines 
The  first  line  was  formed  of  Barlow's  and  Birney's,  and  the 
reserve  of  Gibbon's  and  Mott's  divisions.  The  advance  of 
Barlow  marched  in  columns  of  battalions,  doubled  on  the 
centre.  The  corps,  surmounting  every  obstacle,  rushed  on 
the  hostile  intrenchments  with  loud  cheers,  and  dashed  into 
the  camp  of  the  Confederates.  The  charge  was  made  by  the 
bayonet,  and  General  Edward  Johnston's  division,  of  three 
thousand  men  and  forty  guns,  together  with  Major-general 
Johnston  and  Brigadier-general  G.  H.  Stuart,  all  of  Ewell  a 
corps,  were  captured.  By  this  success,  the  first  of  impor- 
tance in  the  campaign,  the  Second  corps  was  forced  between 
the  centre  and  right  of  the  foe,  and  a  further  movement 
would  d,  Binember  the  army  of  Lee.  A  heavy  cannonade 
was  then  made  along  the  entire  line,  and  under  its  cover, 
the  troops  moved  simultaneously  to  support  the  Second 


BATTLE   OF   SPOTTSYLVANIA.  425 

corps.  Burnside,  on  the  extreme  left,  pressed  on  and  quickly 
joined  his  right  to  Hancock's  left.  The  Sixth  corps  urged 
itself  against  Ewell's  left;  Warren's  corps,  on  the  extreme 
(Union)  right,  became  engaged  in  a  hot  contest,  and  the 
battle  rolled  along  the  whole  line.  The  enemy,  at  nine 
o'clock  A.  M.,  repeatedly  charged  the  Second  and  Ninth 
corps,  in  order  to  regain  the  position  which  he  had  lost 
For  three  hours  the  battle  fiercely  raged,  and  the  carnago 
was  terrible.  The  masses  of  the,  enemy  were  hurled  against 
the  patriot  line,  only  to  be  repulsed  each  time  with  great 
slaughter,  and  at  noon,  they  were  compelled  for  a  time  to 
3ease  their  attempts  to  recapture  the  lost  position.  The 
patriot  advance,  however,  was  checked,  and  most  of  the  cap- 
tured guns  weje  exposed  to  the  aim  of  sharpshooters,  and 
could  be  carried  off  by  neither  side. 

The  Unionists,  on  the  centre  and  right,  had  made  a  fierce 
assault  on  the  hostile  centre,  but  failed  to  capture  the  im- 
pregnable position,  and  the  .effort  was  abandoned.  There 
was  a  brief  cessation,  and  early  in  the  afternoon,  General 
Meade  shortened  and  massed  his  line  on  the  left,  and  pressed 
hard  upon  the  Confederate  right  and  right  centre,  by  a  tre 
mendous  musketry  and  artillery  fire.  The  tide  of  battle 
roUed  with  varying  success  till  the  approach  of  night,  when 
finding  that  the  patriot  troops  had  now  left  their  front,  the 
en^my  massed  on  the  Union  left,  and  fought  with  great  des- 
peration, yielding  only  inch  by  inch,  the  muddy  and  blood- 
stained soil  when  it  could  be  held  no  longer.  The  dead  and 
wounded  lay  in  heaps  ;  the  rival  bayonets  interlocked,  and 
for  hours  the  deadly  strife  raged  over  the  intrenchments, 
where  the  Union  banner  waved,  intertwined  with  the  Confed- 
erate flag,  and  each  in  turn,  riddled  and  torn,  disappeared 
from  view. 

The  enemy  now  massed  against  Wilcox's  division,  on  ttio 
extreme  Union  left,  which  latter,  though  gallantly  resisting, 
was  borne  back ;  three  hundred  men  of  Hartranft's  brigade 
being  captured,  and  as  many  more  killed  and  wounded.  A 
fierce  artillery  fire  checked  and  drove  the  rebels  back.  The 
other  divisions  of  the  same  corps  not  only  held  their  ground, 
but  penetrated  the  hostile  intrenchments.  For  the  fourteen 
hours  that  the  battle  continued,  the  fierceness  cf  the  conflict 
was  unsurpassed  by  any  action  since  the  beginning  of  the 
war.  A  decided  success — the  first  in  the  campaign — had  teen 


424  UNION   AND    REBEL   LOSSES. 

achieved.  Night  again  shrouded  the  bloody  field.  The 
patriots  had  gained,  and  now  held,  a  foothold  in  the  enemy's 
lines  from  which  desperate  and  repeated  assaults  failed  to 
expel  them. 

The  enemy  fell  back  to  a  new  position  during  the  night, 
and  an  attack  at  dawn  by  the  Fifth  and  Sixth  corps  was 
ordered,  but  the  position  was  found  to  be  too  strong  to  offer 
any  hope  of  success.  Heavy  rains  impeded  any  warlike 
movements  for  some  days.  The  lines  were  again  changed ; 
Warren  holding  the  left,  Wright  the  left  centre,  Burnside 
the  right  centre,  and  Hancock  the  right. 

During  the  cessation  of  hostilities  for  a  week,  both  armies 
were  reinforced  with  all  the  troops  which  they  could  bring 
up,  for  the  continuance  of  a  conflict,  in  which  Grant  had 
determined  to  give  the  enemy  no  rest.  The  first  act  of  the 
campaign  was  now  ended,  and  the  contending  armies  buried 
their  dead,  and  attended  to  their  wounded.  The  patriots 
had  lost  two  hundred  and  sixty^-nme  officers  and  three  thou- 
sand and  nineteen  men  killed,  one  thousand  and  seventeen 
officers  and  eighteen  thousand  two  hundred  and  sixty-one 
men  wounded,  and  one  hundred  and  seventeen  officers  and 
six  thousand  six  hundred  and  sixty-seven  men  missing, 
mostly  captured ;  total  during  the  eight  days,  twenty-nine 
thousand  three  hundred  and  fifty.  Among  the  officers  killed, 
were  Major-general  Sedgwick,  and  Brigadier-generals  Wads- 
worth,  Hays,  Rice,  and  Stevenson ;  several  general  officers 
were  wounded,  and  two  captured.  The  loss  on  the  side  of 
the  enemy  was  over  thirty  thousand,  of  whom  eight  thou- 
sand were  captured,  as  also  eighteen  cannon,  and  twenty-two 
flags.  The  enemy  lost  Major-general  Samuel  Jones,  and 
Brigadier-generals  Jenkins,  John  M.  Jones,  Daniels,  Gordon, 
Pervin,  and  Stafford ;  General  Longstreet  was  severely 
wounded,  and  one  major-general  and  one  brigadier  were 
taken  prisoners. 

Reconnoissances  were  made  on  the  17th  of  May,  and  tke 
forces  of  the  enemy  being  now  massed  on  his  right,  it  was 
determined  to  strike  the  left  flank.  The  new  line  was 
formed  on  Wednesday,  18th ;  Wright  occupying  the  right, 
Hancock  joining  him  on  the  right  centre ;  Buruside  being 
on  the  left  centre,  and  Warren  on  the  extreme  left.  The 
attack  was  to  be  made  by  Wright,  Hancock,  and  Burnsida 
The  battle  began  with  heavy  cannonading  from  the  Union 


TORBERT   AT   GUINNEY's   STATION. 

right,  to  which  a  prompt  response  was  made  by  the  enemy. 
About  five  A.  M.,  a  general  assault  was  made  by  the  three 
corps  who  rushed  forward,  drove  in  the  enemy's  skirmish 
line,  and,  with  little  loss,  carried  two  lines  of  rifle  pits.  An 
impenetrable  abatis,  strong  earthworks  lined  with  sharp- 
shooters, and  heavy  artillery  behind,  made  it  impossible  to 
advance  without  great  loss,  and  the  troops  were  withdrawn 
in  good  order.  At  eleven  A.  M.,  the  assault  was  abandoned, 
and  the  troops  occupied  their  old  position,  having  lost  in  the 
assault  one  thousand  two  hundred  men  killed  and  wounded. 
No  fighting  occurred  during  the  day,  and  General  Grant  sent 
Torbert's  cavalry  to  Guinney's  Station,  to  the  right  and  rear 
of  Lee's  position,  and  threatened  his  communications  with 
Richmond.  The  d^pot,  warehouses,  and  a  large  amount  of 
supplies  were  destroyed,  and  the  railroad  and  telegraph* 
cut. 


CHAPTER  XLII. 

MAY — JUNE — JULY,  1864. 

ItiNI  MAKES  ANOTHER  FLANK  MOVEMENT — EWELL  REPULSED-  —  FIOHTIM 
OH  THE  NORTH  ANNA — THK  RIVER  CROSSED — STRENGTH  OF  THE  ENEMY*! 
POSITION — GRANT  RECROSSES  THE  NORTH  ANNA — BATTLE  OF  TOLOPATO- 
MOT  CREEK — THE  FIGHTING  CONTINUOUS — BATTLES  OF  COLD  HARBOR  AND 
THB  CHICKAHOMINY — INTRENCHING  AND  FIGHTING — GRANT'S  FAMOUS 

MARCH  ACROSS  THE  JAMES ATTACKS  ON  PETERSBURG;  THEIR  RESULT 

RAIDS  OF  SHERIDAN — CROOK  AND  AVERILL  IN  WESTERN  VIRGINIA — 
BIGEL'S  FAILURE — EARLY  DEFEATS  HUNTER — SINKING  OF  THE  PIRATE  ALA' 
BAMA — SHERMAN'S  ARMY — THE  ATLANTA  CAMPAIGN — DALTON  FLANKED 

BATTLE  OF  RESACA FIGHT  AT  DALLAS ALATOONA  FLANKED — BATTL1 

OF  KENESAW  MOUNTAIN — DEATH  OF  POLK — SHERMAN'S  FIRST  DEFEAT — 
THE  ARMT  REACHES  AND  CROSSES  THE  CHATTAHOOCHEE — ATLANTA  IK 

8IOHT. 

SOME  preliminary  changes  were  now  made,  in  preparation 
tor  a  flanking  movement,  and  on  the  19th  of  May  (Thurs- 
day), part  of  the  Sixth  corps  began  to  move  from  the  right 
to  the  left.  Lee,  perceiving  this  design,  sent  Ewell  to  check 
it  by  a  dash  upon  the  Union  rear.  The  latter  crossed  the 
Ny,  passed  the  right  wing  of  the  Union  army  undiscovered, 
and  at  five  P.  M.  gained  its  rear.  Attacking  the  wagons,  laden 
with  commissary  and  ordnance  supplies,  and  some  ambu 
lances,  he  captured  some,  and  fired  upon  the  rest;  the  heavy 
trains,  having  passed  some  time  before,  fortunately  escaped. 

General  Tyler  attacked  the  rebels,  and  after  a  brief  con- 
test, drove  them  into  the  woods.  In  this  action,  the  patriots 
lost  twelve  hundred  men  in  killed,  wounded,  and  missing. 
During  this  attack,  the  enemy  made  another  on  the  Union 
left,  doubtless  for  the  purpose  of  concealing  E well's  move- 
ment, but  were  repulsed,  after  a  brief  and  spirited  action. 
At  three  o'clock,  on  Friday  morning,  three  divisions  of  the 
Union  army  entered  the  woods  quickly  and  in  silence,  and 
attacking  the  foe  in  the  rear,  captured  four  buodred  prison- 
ers. Ewell  then  recrossed  the  Ny,  and  retreated. 

The  new  flanking  movement  began  on  Friday,  the  19th, 
at  midnight.  Torbert's  cavalry  advanced  from  Massaponax 
Church  to  Guinney's  bridge,  across  the  Po,  and  near  its  junc- 
tion with  the  Nv.  Encountering  the  enemy's  cavalry  at 


FIGHTING  AT  THE  NORTH  ANNA.  427 

Dormer's  bridge,  Torbert  drove  them  back,  and  sweeping 
opposition  from  his  path,  proceeded  to  Bowling  Green. 
From  thence,  advancing  to  Milford  Station,  he  drove  out  the 
rebel  garrison  at  that  point,  and  captured  seventy  prisoners. 
The  different  corps  followed,  and  on  the  21st  (Sunday),  the 
Union  army  lay  along  and  near  the  Fredericksburg  railroad, 
facing  to  the  west ;  the  right  lay  at  Guinney's  Station,  tho 
centre  at  Bowling  Green,  and  the  left  at  Milford  Station.  Al 
the  attempts  of  the  enemy  on  the  advancing  arrny  had  been 
easily  repelled.  The  stores  had  been  removed,  as  the  Con. 
"eder^tes  had  anticipated  the  movement.  Givait  was  aware 
that  Lee  also  was  moving,  and  was  in  advance  of  him,  in  tho 
direction  of  Hanover  Court  House. 

The  Union  army  moved  rapidly  on  Monday  and  by  night 
arrived  at  the  North  Anna,  near  Jericho  bridge.  The 
enemy,  at  this  place,  held  a  strong  position,  which  Hancock 
carried  by  a  desperate  charge,  in  which  he  lost  three  hundred 
men.  The  Fifth  corps  crossed  the  river  higher  up,  and  waa 
soon  furiously  attacked,  but  drove  the  Confederates  back 
with  great  slaughter.  More  rapid  or  massive  firing,  General 
Grant  stated,  in  his  despatch,  that  he  had  never  before  heard. 
The  whole  Union  army  had  crossed  the  North  Anna  on  the 
25th  of  May,  and  was  now  on  the  south  side.  The  enemy 
were  found  strongly  posted ;  their  right  resting  on  Bull 
Swamp,  their  left  on  Little  river,  and  their  front  thrown 
forward  toward  Oxford  in  a  V  form,  partially  separating  the 
Union  right  and  left  wings,  and  protecting  the  Virginia  Cen- 
tral and  Fredericksburg  railroads,  and  Sexton's  Junction,  at 
which  important  point  they  united. 

General  Grant  made  Port  Royal,  en  the  Rappahannock  for 
a  time  the  base  of  supplies  and  depot  for  the  wounded ;  but  as 
another  flank  movement  would  soon  occur,  he  took  the  wise 
precaution  to  ship  the  supplies  to  White  House,  on  the  Pa- 
munkey.  The  enemy's  position  could  not  be  carried  with- 
out heavy  loss,  and  Grant  again  moved  on  the  right  flank. 

On  the  26th  of  May,  Torbert's  and  Gregg's  divisions,  of 
Sheridan's  cavalry,  were  ordered  to  recross  the  North  Anna, 
and  occupy  Hanover  Ferry  and  Hanovertown,  twenty-five 
miles  below  the  Union  position  on  the  Pamunkey,  while 
Wilson's  division  was  engaged  in  destroying  the  Virginia 
Central  railroad  west  from  near  Sexton's  Junction.  To  con- 
oeal  this  movement,  the  enemy's  left  was  vigorously  attacked 


428         BATTLE  OF  TOLOPATOMOY  CREEK. 

on  Thursday,  26th.  The  two  cavalry  divisions,  meanwhile 
arrived  at  their  destination,  and  captured  seventy-five  men 
of  a  rebel  vidette.  the  only  troops  in  the  place. 

On  Saturday  morning,  May  28th,  the  Federal  infantry  held 
fianovertown,  and  the  crossing  of  the  Pamunkey.  Sheri 
dan's  cavalry  corps  now  pushed  south,  and  the  infantry  fol- 
lowed as  quickly  as  possible.  In  the  vicinity  of  Howe's 
Store,  on  Tolopatomoy  creek,  an  affluent  of  the  Pamunkey, 
Gregg's  cavalry  in  advance,  encountered  that  of  Hampton 
and  Fitzhugh  Lee,  and  after  a  severe  contest  was  forced  back 
by  their  superior  numbers.  Ouster's  brigade,  of  Torbert'a 
division,  coming  up,  drove  the  rebels  off.  Each  side  lost 
four  hundred  men.  The  patriots  moved  forward  on  the 
Shady  Grove  Church  and  Mechanicsville  roads.  The  rebel 
position  was  on  the  south  of  Tolopatomoy  creek,  its  right 
resting  on  the  Mechanicsville  road,  and  its  left  on  the  Vir- 
ginia Central,  near  Altee's.  On  Monday,  May  30th,  in  at- 
tempting a  raid  on  the  Union  rear,  the  rebels  were  driven 
off  by  the  cavalry  of  Ouster  and  Merritt,  and  on  "Wednesday, 
June  1st,  in  endeavoring  to  drive  the  patriots  from  Cold 
Harbor,  after  a  desperate  combat,  they  were  again  completely 
repulsed  by  Sheridan,  whose  men  were  dismounted,  and 
fought  with  carbines. 

The  Sixth  and  Eighteenth  corps,  after  a  march  of  twenty - 
five  miles,  formed  in  line  of  battle.  In  a  desperate  engage- 
ment, Deven's  brigade,  of  the  Eighteenth  corps,  and  Rickett's, 
of  the  Sixth,  swept  resistlessly  into  the  hostile  intrenchments, 
and  captured  the  first  line  of  rifle  pits,  and  six  hundred  men. 
The  attempts  of  the  enemy  to  regain  this  positicri  during 
the  night,  were  repulsed.  The  loss  of  the  Union  troops,  in 
this  action,  was  two  thousand.  The  Federal  line  now  ex- 
tended from  Bethesda  Church  to  Cold  Harbor.  All  along 
this  line,  except  at  intervals,  there  was  desperate  fighting  all 
day  (June  1st),  in  which  General  Grant  lost  one  thousand 
men ;  the  result,  however,  was  favorable  to  him,  as  it  secured 
Cold  Harbor,  which  commanded  the  divergent  roads.  On 
Wednesday  night,  and  Thursday,  in  floods  of  rain,  prepara- 
tions ware  made  for  an  assault  on  the  enemy's  lines,  and  the 
troops  were  massed  at  different  points. 

On  Friday  morning,  June  3d,  the  Union  lines  extended 
from  Tolopatomoy  creek,  through  Cold  Harbor,  to  the 
Chickahominy.  All  was  ready  for  a  grand  assault,  whicii  took 


UATtLE    Of   COLD    HARBOR. 

place  at  four  A.  M.,  and  commenced  with  a  terrific  fire  from 
both  sides.  The  patriots  made  impetuous  charges  from  many 
points.  The  divisions  of  Gibbon  and  Barlow  drove  the 
rebels,  under  Breckinridge,  from  the  summit  of  their  posi- 
tion, and  planted  the  stars  and  stripes,  but  a  terrible  fire 
from  the  enfilading  batteries  forced  them  to  withdraw.  They 
captured  a  flag,  and  three  hundred  prisoners,  and  held  a 
position  during  the  day  within  fifty  yards  of  the  ramparts. 
A  fierce  battle  raged  the  whole  day,  at  the  close  of  which 
the  Union  loss  was  nearly  seven  thousand  killed,  wounded, 
and  missing.  Several  important  positions  were  gained,  but 
the  attempt  failed  to  drive  the  rebels  across  the  Chicka- 
hominy. 

On  Saturday,  June  4th,  the  Union  troops  were  busy 
throwing  up  intrenchments ;  an  assault  by  the  enemy,  at 
nine  P.  M.,  on  Hancock's  corps,  on  the  extreme  left,  was 
severely  repulsed.  On  Sunday,  the  work  of  intrenching 
proceeded,  and  sharpshooters  on  each  side  made  it  extremely 
dangerous  for  either  Unionist  or  Confederate  to  be  exposed 
Rifle  pits,  trenches,  and  ramparts  were  constructed,  under  a 
terrible  fire  of  musketry  and  artillery.  Night,  dark  and 
foggy,  came  on,  and  the  troops  reposed  on  their  arms. 
About  midnight,  the  enemy  advanced  in  silence,  and  rush- 
ing forward  on  the  Union  picket  line  with  cheers,  opened  a 
heavy  artillery  and  mortar  fire.  Every  man  was  at  his  post 
in  a  moment ;  a  severe  fire  of  musketry,  and  floods  of  grape 
and  canister  swept  the  rebels,  disordered  and  broken,  before 
it,  and  they  fled  to  their  ramparts,  leaving  one  thousand  of 
their  killed  and  wounded  behind  them.  This  incessant  battle 
continued  during  Monday  and  Tuesday,  while,  in  the  mean- 
time, the  positions  of  both  armies  were  being  strengthened, 
and  each  tried  to  gain  some  advantage  over  the  other. 

An  assault  upon  Burnside,  on  Tuesday  night,  wad 
hurled  back  with  great  slaughter;  Wednesday,  the  8th, 
witnessed  repeated  exchanges  of  artillery  fire,  and  the  three 
following  days  were  spent  in  intrenching,  reconnoissances 
snd  brief  but  severe  conflicts. 

Grant  was  now  preparing  a  secret  flank  movement,  by 
which,  descei-ding  the  .Chickahominy,  he  might  cross  that 
and  the  James  rivers,  and  reach  the  rear  of  Lee's  army. 
An  important  object  which  he  had  in  view,  was  not  only  the 
capture  of  Richmond,  but  the  prevention  of  Lee's  escape 


430  GRANTS    FAMOUS    MARCH   TO    PETERSBURG. 

into  the  Carolinas  or  Georgia.  Accordingly,  the  railroad 
between  the  White  House  and  the  Chickahominy  was  de 
stroyed  on  Friday,  and  on  Sunday,  June  12th,  the  famous 
march  was  begun.  The  river  was  crossed  on  Tuesday.  A 
march  of  fifty  miles  was  made,  the  Chickahominy  and  the 
James  rivers  were  crossed,  the  army  was  in  the  enemy's  rear, 
and  Petersburg  was  surprised.  This  was  done  in  the  pres- 
ence of  one  hundred  thousand  of  the  Confederates,  only  a 
few  skirmishers  being  lost  on  the  march.  Infantry  artillery, 
and  cavalry,  with  a  baggage  train  which  would  have  filled 
any  road  for  one  hundred  miles,  were  all  safely  transferred 
to  the  new  base.  The  great  feat  of  General  Grant  was  tri- 
umphantly achieved — one  of  the  greatest  wonders  recorded 
in  the  annals  of  war. 

The  Eighteenth  corps  had  arrived  on  Wednesday,  June 
15th,  at  Bermuda  Hundred,  where  General  Butler  was  in- 
trenched, and  having  crossed  the  Appomattox,  moved  on 
Petersburg.  The  enemy  was  encountered  at  daylight,  by 
Kautz's  cavalry  in  the  advance.  In  a  severe  engagement 
the  colored  troops  carried  one  of  the  works,  and  turned  a 
captured  gun  on  the  retreating  rebels;  and  at  sunset,  the 
intrenchments  were  assaulted,  the  ramparts  scaled,  the  ene- 
my routed,  and  three  hundred  prisoners,  sixteen  guns,  and 
a  battle  flag  captured.  By  thus  carrying  the  rebel  works, 
which  formed  the  outer  defences,  the  Union  troops  were 
now  within  two  miles  of  Petersburg,  and  the  alarmed  enemy 
made  vain  efforts  to  regain  his  lost  ground. 

The  army  of  General  Lee  now  moved  hastily  through 
llichmond,  and  crossing  the  James,  hastened  to  Petersburg 
by  railway.  The  Confederates  at  Bermuda  Hundred  de- 
serted their  intrenchments,  and  General  Terry  occupying 
them,  destroyed  the  Petersburg  and  Richmond  railway  for 
two  miles.  Lee  was  pressing  on  Petersburg,  and  Terry  had 
to  retire,  but  delayed  the  enemy  one  day  by  the  destruction 
of  the  railroad. 

The  most  vigorous  assaults  failed  to  carry  the  strong  triple 
line  of  rebel  intrenchments  at  Petersburg.  There  was  con- 
tinual fighting,  however,  the  Union  loss  on  Thursday,  Juts 
16th,  being  over  two  thousand  men.  The  attack  was  renewed 
on  Friday,  at  four  A.  M.,  and  Gi  iffin's  brigade  carried  a  por 
tion  of  the  rebel  line,  capturing  four  hundred  men,  a  stand 
of  colors,  and  six  guns.  The  battle  raged  the  entire  day 


ATTACKS  ON  PETERSBURG,  THEIR  RESULT.     481 

and  Burnside  was  within  a  half  a  mile  of  the  city,  into  which 
he  threw  a  few  shells.  A  desperate  attempt  was  made,  during 
the  night,  to  regain  what  was  lost,  and  a  hand  to  hand  strug- 
gle ensued  over  the  breastworks,  in  which  the  rebels  were 
successful  in  recapturing  one  of  the  works,  driving  out  the 
troops  of  Burnside. 

On  Saturday,  June  18th,  the  whob  line  was  to  be  vigor- 
ously assaulted.  The  enemy,  during  the  night,  retired  to 
the  inner  intrenchments,  and  this  line  required  to  be  reoon- 
noitered.  The  carnage  which  resulted  was  dreadful.  Skir- 
mishes were  deadly,  resembling  a  pitched  battle;  but  the 
itrong  lines  could  not  be  taken,  and  at  night,  the  wearied 
troops  sought  repose.  The  battle  had  been  unceasing  for 
four  days,  during  which  not  less  than  ten  thousand  patriots 
had  been  rendered  "hors  de  combat."  For  the  next  three 
days,  skirmishing  and  cannonading,  but  no  decisive  action, 
took  place.  A  few  shells  were  hurled  into  the  city,  carry- 
ing consternation  among  the  inhabitants.  The  dead  werl 
buried  under  a  flag  of  truce,  and  the  wounded  were  carried 
off  by  each  army.  Petersburg  and  Richmond  could  not  be 
taken  by  a  direct  assault,  which  would  be  most  destructive 
to  life,  if  not  altogether  unsuccessful ;  a  regular  siege  was, 
therefore,  necessary. 

During  this  campaign  of  a  month  and  a  half,  nearly  one 
hundred  thousand  men  had  disappeared,  yet  the  course  of 
Grant  was  the  only  wise  one  that  could  have  been  adopted 
and  saved  life  in  the  end.  The  discouragements  under 
which  he  labored  would  have  overcome  most  men.  Butler 
had  twice  failed  at  Bermuda  Hundred ;  and  Sigel  had  been 
alike  unsuccessful  in  the  Shenandoah  valley.  His  path 
was  beset  with  obstacles  at  every  step,  but  with  a  tenacious 
grasp  on  the  throat  of  rebellion,  Grant  sternly  resolved  never 
to  relax  his  vigorous  measures. 

On  the  8th  of  May,  he  sent  Sheridan  to  cut  off  the  com- 
munications in  Lee's  rear.  At  Beaver  Dam  Station,  the 
latter  had  captured  a  rebel  provost-guard  with  three  hundred 
Union  prisoners,  whom  Sheridan  immediately  liberated.  A 
detachment  destroyed  the  Fredericksburg  railroad,  at  Ash- 
land Station,  and  on  the  llth,  the  main  body,  within  six  miles 
of  Richmond,  had  a  severe  fight  with  the  command  of  General 
J  E.  B.  Stuart,  in  which  that  famed  cavalry  leader  was 
killed.  Next  morning,  a  party  reeonnoitering  within  two 


432  RAIDS   OF   SHERIDAN. 

miles  of  Richmond,  penetrated  the  second  line  of  defences, 
but  had  to  retire.  On  the  12th,  the  advance  encountered 
*he  rebels  at  Meadow  bridge,  which  the  latter  had  burned 
behind  them.  In  the  meantime,  another  large  force  fron? 
the  rear  surrounded  the  brave  Sheridan,  and  death  or  cap 
ture  seemed  imminent. 

Sheridan  hastily  reconstructed  the  bridge  under  fire, 
charged  the  enemy  fiercely  during  a  thunder-storm,  drove 
them  back  to  Mechanicsville,  and  finally  to  Cold  Harbor, 
and  encamped  his  weary  men  near  Games'  Mill.  In  two 
days,  he  reached  Butler's  head-quarters,  and  opening  up  the 
communications  with  Yorktown,  returned  in  time  to  parti- 
cipate in  the  battles  of  Cold  Harbor  and  the  Chickahominy. 
He  next  led  the  advance  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  in  its 
passage  to  and  across  the  James,  and  on  the  8th  of  June,  set 
out  to  penetrate  the  rebel  lines  and  cut  the  Virginia  Central 
railroad.  At  Aylett's  Station,  he  destroyed  the  Fredericks- 
burg  railroad,  encountered  the  rebel*  at  Buck  Childs,  and 
routing  them  on  the  llth,  after  a  severe  action,  established 
his  head- quarters  at  Trevillian.  From  Trevillian  Station  to 
Louisa  Court  House,  he  completely  destroyed  the  railroad  on 
the  12th.  After  a  severe  encounter  with  the  enemy,  in  which 
the  latter  was  very  severely  punished,  he  determined  to 
withdraw.  The  train  and  wounded  were  brought  off  safely 
but  not  without  hard  fighting,  and  on  the  14th,  he  reached 
Spottsylvania  Court  House. 

In  Western  Virginia,  Crook  and  Averill  fought  th lee  battles 
in  the  middle  of  May,  on  New  river,  with  the  rebel  generals 
Jones  and  Jenkins,  in  all  of  which  the  enemy  were  defeated ; 
in  one,  General  Jenkins  was  mortally  wounded,  and  fell  into 
the  hands  of  the  patriots.  In  these  actions,  the  enemy  lost 
six  hundred  killed  and  wounded,  and  three  hundred  cap- 
tared.  Averill  cut  the  Virginia  and  Tennessee  railroad, 
destroyed  the  bridge  over  New  river,  and  also  several  miles 
of  the  railroad. 

General  Sigel,  in  the  Shenandoah  valley,  moved  early  in 
May  to  New  Market,  where,  on  the  15th,  he  met  the  enemy, 
eight  thousand  strong,  under  Breckinridge,  by  whom  he 
was  defeated,  with  the  loss  of  six  hundred  killed  and 
•wounded.  After  this  battle,  General  Sigel  was  superseded 
by  General  Hunter.  Breckinridge  then  proceeded  vo  rein- 
force Lee,  and  Hunter's  progress  to  Staunton  met  wit  t  little 


HUlfTJEB  DEFEATED — PIRATE  A  LA BAM A  DESfHJTED.     433 

opposition.  On  the  5th  of  June,  the  latter  defeated  the  en- 
emy at  Mount  Crawford,  with  a  loss  of  their  commander, 
General  W.  E.  Jones,  a  large  number  killed  and  woianded, 
and  fifteen  hundred  captured ;  and  on  the  8th,  he  reached 
Staunton,  where  a  junction  was  formed  between  his  forces 
and  those  under  Averill  and  Crook.  He  was  directed  to 
proceed  with  this  reinforcement  toward  Charlotteville,  and, 
destroying  the  Virginia  Central  railroad,  in  his  way,  to  drive 
the  onemy  toward  Charlotteville  and  Gordonsrille,  and  thero 
join  Sheridan,  who  was  marching  to  the  latter  point.  The 
combined  forces  might  have  captured  Lynchburg,  an  impor- 
tant rebel  depot,  but  Hunter  delayed  too  long,  and  Sheridan, 
for  want  of  support,  had  no  other  recourse  than  to  fall  back. 
On  his  advance  to  Lynchburg,  he  found  it  too  strongly  for- 
tified and  garrisoned  to  be  taken  with  his  limited  command. 

Lee  now  sent  General  Early  to  drive  Hunter  out  of  the 
valley,  who,  moving  from  Lynchburg,  compelled  the  Union 
general  to  fall  back.  After  a  contest,  in  which  the  latter 
lost  six  hundred  men,  and  some  artillery,  he  abandoned  the 
Shenandoah  valley,  and  leaving  it  open  to  the  enemy,  moved 
into  the  Kanawha  valley.  Early  now  captured  Winchester, 
and  flanking  Martinsburg,  compelled  Sigel,  who  was  in  com- 
mand there,  to  evacuate  and  retreat,  on  July  3d,  to  Harper's 
Ferry.  Colonel  Mulligan  had  evacuated  the  town,  and  this 
ihe  enemy  occupied,  while  Sigel  took  possession  of  Mary- 
land Heights.  Making  desperate  efforts  to  correct  the  errors 
into  which  he  had  fallen,  and  reach  the  Potomac,  Hunter,  in 
attempting  to  cross  the  mountains,  lost  most  of  his  train,  and 
.seven  guns.  His  men  were  on  short  allowance,  and  suffered 
much.  The  failures  of  Sigel  and  Hunter  occasioned  great 
disasters  to  Maryland  and  the  southern  portion  of  Pennsyl- 
vania. A  call  was  now  made  for  volunteers  to  serve  during 
the  emergency,  which  was  cheerfully  responded  to. 

On  the  19th  of  June,  the  Confederate  cruiser  Alabama 
was  encountered  off  Cherbourg,  France,  by  the  Kearsarge, 
Captain  Winslow.  In  a  desperate  naval  combat,  the  pirate 
was  pierced  with  the  heavy  shells  of  the  Kearsarge,  and  sunk. 
Her  crew  was  taken  up  by  the  English  yacht,  Deerhound, 
whose  owner,  Mr.  Lancaster,  carried  off  Captain  Semmes, 
and  the  other  prisoners,  to  Southampton.  This  "  finishing 
touch"  to  the  career  of  such  a  scourge  tc  the  seas,  caused 
great  rejoicing  in  the  North. 
•7 


434      SHERMAN'S  ARMY — THE  A  PLANT  A  CAMPAIGN. 

We  must  now  return  to  General  Sherman,  in  Georgia, 
whose  objective  point  was  Atlanta,  the  great  rebel  depot  of 
supplies,  and  the  railway  centre  of  the  Confederacy.  Th« 
army  was  collected,  organized,  armed,  and  drilled  with  great 
celerity,  and  numbeied  nearly  one  hundred  thousand  men, 
and  two  hundred  and  fifty-four  guns.  The  troops  were  mar- 
•halled  in  three  divisions — the  Army  of  the  Cumberland 
under  Major-general  Thomas,  numbering  over  sixty  thousand 
men  ;  the  Army  of  the  Tennessee,  commanded  by  Major  gen 
eral  McPherson,  nearly  twenty-five  thousand  men ;  and  tha 
Army  of  the  Ohio,  Major-general  Schofield,  upward  of  four- 
teen thousand.  The  cavalry  force  of  the  Army  of  the  Cumber- 
land, under  General  Kilpatrick,  amounted  to  five  thousand. 
The  Confederate  army,  commanded  by  General  Joseph  E. 
Johnston,  comprised  three  grand  divisions,  under  Hardee, 
Hood,  and  Polk,  and  was  sixty  thousand  strong,  including 
ten  thousand  cavalry. 

The  country  through  which  the  march  was  about  to  be 
made  was  delightful,  the  weather  fair,  and  the  Union  army 
in  excellent  spirits.  The  advance  took  place  on  the  6th  of 
May  (1864).  The  first  point  to  b3  attacked  was  Dalton,  a 
strongly  fortified  town,  where  two  roads  meet  from  Ring- 
gold  and  Red  Clay.  In  its  front  is  Rocky  Face,  a  craggy 
ridge,  five  hundred  feet  high,  anj  on  the  west  of  this,  is 
Tunnel  Hill,  another  Gibraltar.  Between  these  two  hills  is 
"  Buzzard  Roost  Gap."  This  place,  and  the  way  from  Red 
Clay,  were  both  fortified  and  manned  to  such  a  degree,  aa 
seemed  to  render  approach  impossible. 

On  the  7th  of  May,  General  McPherson,  who  had  formed 
the  extreme  right  at  Gordon's  Mills,  southwest  of  Dalton, 
was  advancing  through  hostile  territory  to  destroy  the  rail- 
road at  Resaca.  He  was  then  to  intrench  south  of  Snake 
river,  and  wait  the  approach  of  the  rebels,  as  they  should  be 
driven  back  by  Thomas  and  Schofield,  whereupon  he  was 
to  intercept  them.  General  Thomas  drove  the  enemy's  cav- 
alry into  "Buzzard  Roost  Gap,"  and  Schofield  moved  on 
Dalton  from  Red  Clay  Hill.  The  bewildered  foe  being  thus 
occupied,  McPherson,  nearly  unmolested,  advanced  within 
a  mile  of  Resaca.  General  Thomas  made  a  feint  on  the  en- 
emy's position  at  Rocky  Face,  and  then  an  assault,  in  which 
the  Rocky  ridge  was  carried  by  Veatch's  division  of  How- 
ard's corps,  but  the  gap  could  not  be  reached.  Geary'* 


BATTLK   OF   KESACA.  435 

division,  of  Hooker's  corps,  made  a  gallant,  but  unsuccessful 
attempt  to  reach  the  summit.  The  enemy,  strongly  posted, 
and  with  powerful  artillery,  even  rolled  down  heavy  bouJd 
ers  and  rocks,  which  crashed  through  the  trees,  and  broke 
the  advancing  columns.  The  Union  forces  gained  no  ad- 
vantage, although  McPherson  was  reinforced  by  Hooker  and 
Schofield;  Howard  alone  now  remained  before  Dalton,  which 
Johnston  evacuated,  rapidly  retiring  on  Resaca.  Howard  at 
once  entered  Dalton,  and  followed  the  retiring  foe. 

Sherman  found  the  enemy  at  Resaca  well  posted,  and 
made  another  flank  movement.  He  pontooried  the  Oostan- 
aula,  sent  General  Sweeney  to  threaten  Calhoun,  and  Gar- 
rard's  cavalry  to  destroy  the  railroad  beyond.  On  the  14th, 
there  was  severe  fighting.  In  a  gallant  charge,  General 
Judah  was  repulsed,  but  Cox  carried  the  breastworks  in 
front  with  the  bayonet.  The  enemy  assaulted  the  centre, 
and  after  a  vain  effort,  in  which  Palmer  held  his  ground 
made  a  furious  onset  on  the  left,  and  Stanley  was  at  last 
forced  back  in  disorder.  Robinson  came  to  the  rescue,  and 
dealing  the  enemy  a  heavy  blow,  sent  him  back  severely 
punished.  Darkness  closed  on  the  combat.  On  the  i5th 
the  army  stood  on  a  semi-circle — McPherson  en  the  right 
Thomas  in  the  centre,  and  Schofield  on  the  left,  beyona 
whom  on  the  extremity  was  Howard.  On  the  rebel  side, 
Hood  was  on  the  right,  Hardee  in  the  centre,  and  Polk  on 
the  left. 

The  army,  on  a  given  signal,  advanced,  pressing  on  under 
a  fierce  fire,  and  moving  up  inch  by  inch,  determined  to 
carry  the  strong  position.  Butterfield,  supported  by  Wil- 
liams and  Geary,  contended  bravely  for  four  hours,  carrying 
one  line  of  rifle  pits  after  another,  until  a  large  lunette  was 
encountered.  The  attempts  to  capture  it  were  attended  with 
great  loss.  Butterfield,  at  last,  by  a  charge  gained  some 
•works  under  the  protection  of  the  fort,  and  so  close,  that  the 
guns  within  could  be  touched  with  the  hand.  Notwithstand- 
ing the  advantages  thus  gained,  the  attempt  on  the  fort,  how- 
ever, was  unsuccessful,  and  HuoKer  gave  up  the  contest. 
During  the  rest  of  the  day,  he  lay  under  the  breastworks,  and 
at  night,  formed  the  design  of  capturing  the  lunette  by  strate- 
gy. "  The  ends  were  dug  out  of  the  works,  and  the  guns  drawn 
out  by  ropes,  under  the  destructive  fire  of  the  occupant?  of  the 
lunette,  who  were  driven  out  or  captured,  as  oir  Droopa 


436  FIGHT  AT   DALLAS 

awarrned  in  through  the  opening  in  overwhelming  numbers.* 
Hooker,  in  a  night  battle,  defeated  the  rebels,  and  at  two 
A.  M.  they  gave  way.  On  Monday,  at  dawn,  they  had  evacu- 
ated their  works,  and  burned  the  trains,  although  they  saved 
their  artillery.  The  Union  army  at  once  advanced,  and  the 
cavalry  pressed  on  the  enemy's  rear.  Johnston  partially 
destioyedthe  bridge  across  the  Oostanaula,  and  got  off' safely 
with  his  army,  preventing  McPherson  from  pontooning  the 
river,  by  a  destructive  fire.  The  Federal  loss  in  two  days 
was  five  thousand ;  that  of  the  rebels  was  less.  One  thou- 
sand prisoners,  eight  guns,  and  an  abundance  of  stores  were 
taken  by  the  Unionists.  The  whole  army  followed  in  pur 
6uit,  as  rapidly  as  the  rough  ground  and  the  passage  of 
streams  would  permit. 

There  was  a  severe  action  at  Adairsville,  near  Calhoun, 
jn  the  17th,  but  Johnston  continued  his  retreat.  On  the 
_8th,  Clinton  was  occupied,  and  here  the  troops  rested  a  few 
days  while  supplies  came  up,  and  the  communication  with 
Chattanooga  was  again  established.  A  garrison  being  left 
here  and  at  Home,  Georgia,  the  army,  on  the  23d,  moved 
toward  Dallas,  which  lay  west  of  the  railroad,  and  south  of 
the  strong  pass  of  Alatoona.  Hooker  was  sent  to  secure  the 
junction  of  the  Ackworth,  Marietta,  and  Dallas  rail  roads.  In 
a  severe  coaflict  with  the  Confederates,  on  the  25th,  at  New 
Hope  Church,  in  which  his  division  was  distinguished  for 
bravery,  General  Geary  drove  them  to  the  junction.  Night 
carr  3  on  before  Hooker  arrived  there,  and  a  heavy  rain  storm 
having  fallen,  the  wearied  troops  halted,  and  lay  down  on 
the  damp  field. 

There  was  now  constant  fighting  for  three  days.  On  the 
28th,  Johnston  fell  furiously  on  McPherson,  as  he  closed  up 
on  the  army  of  Thomas.  The  onset  made  by  the  corps  of 
Hardee  and  Polk,  was  sudden  and  terrific.  The  patriots, 
behind  a  long  line  of  rifle  pits,  awaited  the  enemy.  Logan 
and  McPherson  animated  the  troops,  who  reserved  their  fire 
till  the  foe  came  within  short  range,  when  the  front  rank 
sent  forth  a  deadly  volley,  followed  by  another  from  the 
rear  rank.  The  rebels  recoiled,  bat  though  they  had  been 
mowed  down  in  great  numbers,  on  they  came  again,  charg- 
ing with  shouts  of  defiance  to  the  "  cannon's  mouth."  The 
brave  patiiots  never  flinched,  and  as  night  came  on  the 
baffled  enemy  retired,  with  the  loss  of  three  thousand  men 


JLLATOOXA — BATTLE  OF   KENESAW    MOUNTAIN.       43) 

triple  that  of  the  Unionists.  Sherman  now  paused,  and  per- 
plexed the  enemy  with  his  fl  ink  movements,  by  sending 
McPherson  around  to  the  left.  On  the  1st  of  June,  John- 
ston, finding  his  communications  with  Atlanta  threatened 
abandoned  the  stronghold  of  Alatoona,  which  Sherman  made 
his  secondary  base.  Leaving  a  garrison  to  protect  it,  and 
having  repaired  the  railroad,  the  victorious  army,  on  the  9th 
pursued  the  foe  to  the  stronghold  on  the  rugged  brow  of 
Kenesaw.  This  formidable  height  has  two  peaks — on  tbe 
left  lay  Chestnut  Hills,  and  on  the  right,  Pine  Mountain  and 
Lost  Mountain,  all  being  of  the  same  range,  and  overlook- 
ing the  town  of  Marietta  and  the  railroad.  Sherman  says, 

the  scene  was  enchanting,  too  beautiful  to  be  disturbed  by 
Ae  rude  clamors  of  war ;  but  the  Chattahoochee  lay  beyond, 
and  I  had  to  reach  it." 

The  army  was  up  on  the  llth  of  June,  and  arrangciu^-nt? 
were  made  to  break  the  line  between  Kenesaw  and  Pine 
Mountains.  Hooker  was  on  its  right  and  front,  Howard  on 
its  left  and  front,  and  Palmer  between  it  and  the  railroad. 
On  the  14th,  during  a  severe  artillery  fire,  Lieutenant-gen- 
eral (Bishop)  Polk  was  killed  by  a  shell,  which  was  hurled 
among  a  group  of  officers.  On  the  next  morning,  the  Con- 
federates were  found  to  have  abandoned  Pine  Mountain. 
On  the  17th,  Lost  Mountain  was  also  abandoned,  and  ih/, 
enemy  occupied  Kenesaw,  their  wings  and  centre  being  so 
disposed  as  to  cover  Marietta  and  the  railroad,  and  leaving 
no  weak  point  on  which  the  line  could  be  assailed.  The 
snemy  could  see  all  the  movements  of  the  Union  array  in 
the  valley  below,  the  thunders  of  whose  cannon  shook  the 
mountain.  Heavy  rains  fell  on  the  exposed  troops,  the 
roads  became  impassable,  and  the  country  a  marsh.  But 
the  work  advanced,  and  the  troops  intrenched  on  every 
rod  of  ground  which  they  gained.  "General  McPherson, 
watching  the  enemy  on  Kenesaw,  and  working  his  Jeft  for- 
ward ;  General  Thomas,  swinging  as  it  were  on  a  grand  left 
wheel,  his  left  on  Kenesaw,  connected  with  General  McPher- 
gon,  while  General  Schofield  was  all  the  while  working  to 
the  south  and  east,  along  the  old  Sandtown  road." 

On  the  22d,  the  Confederate  General  Hood  made  a  suJd^n 
attack  on  Hooker's  and  Williams'  divisions,  but  was  repulsed 
with  the  loss  of  eight  hundred  men.  On  the  27th,  the 
weather  being  now  fine,  tbe  columns  m?  ed  to  the  grand 


438     SHERMAN'S  ARMY  CROSSES  THE  CHATTAHOOCHE*. 

assault  on  two  different  points,  Thomas  assailing  the  one 
and  McPherson  the  other.  Surmounting  all  the  obstacles 
which  the  nature  of  the  ground  presented,  the  steady  lines 
soon  became  engaged  in  a  fearful  struggle  with  the  well 
posted  enemy.  Kenesaw  smoked  like  a  volcano,  and  inces- 
sant thunders  rolled  down  to  its  base.  In  leading  on  their 
brigades  with  conspicuous  gallantry,  Generals  McCook  and 
Barker  fell,  and  many  other  brave  officers  and  men  were 
swept  down  by  the  dread  nil  fire  which  streamed  from  the 
mountain.  But  valor  was  in  vain,  and  the  bugles  sounded 
the  recall,  but  not  until  three  thousand  patriots  had  been 
killed  or  wounded,  among  whom  were  many  excellent 
officers.  General  Sherman,  who  was  here  defeated  for 
the  first  time,  now  attended  to  the  burial  of  the  slain,  and 
sent  McPherson  forward  to  the  Chattahoochee,  far  behind 
Kenesaw. 

Johnston  at  once  evacuated  his  stronghold,  and  Sherman 
occupied  Marietta.  lie  now  pursued  the  enemy.  On  the 
4th  and  5th  of  July,  the  rebel  army  crossed  the  Chattahoo- 
chee. On  the  9th,  Sherman  had  secured  three  points  at 
which  to  cross,  but  this  last  line  was  also  abandoned  by  the 
enemy,  who  now  fell  back  to  Atlanta.  Meanwhile,  General 
Rosseau,  who  with  two  thousand  cavalry  had  been  sent 
round  Atlanta,  to  destroy  the  railroad  at  Opelika,  Alabama, 
had  successfully  carried  out  his  orders  with  the  loss  of  only 
thirty  men,  and  now  returned. 

Sherman  had  now  the  control  of  the  Chattahoochee,  and 
resolved  on  the  capture  of  Atlanta,  eight  miles  distant,  but 
after  its  severe  marches  and  constant  fighting,  the  army  re- 
quired rest,  and  was  now  encamped  within  sight  of  the 
"Gate  City,"  in  a  beautiful  and  romantic  country.  On  the 
17th  of  July,  the  advance  was  again  made;  some  fighting 
occurring  on  this  day.  Atlanta  soon  came  within  full  view 
of  the  troops,  as  they  moved  against  this  stronghold.  John- 
ston was  superseded  in  command  of  the  rebel  army  by 
General  Hood,  who  determined  at  once  to  assume  the  offen- 
sive, and  it  was  evident  that  a  desperate  battle  was  about  to 
be  fought,  which  would  decide  the  fate  of  this  ciiy,  the  very 
heart  ->f  thi  Confederacy. 


CH AFTER   XLHL 
JULY — DKCKMBKR,  1864. 

t  •*  j'i  ATTACK — ASSAULT  ON  MCPHKRSON — HIS  DEATH — HOWARD  8UCCZ1DS 
«C?H  2R80N — RESIGNATION  OF  HOOKER — STONEMAN's  RAID  AND  CAPTURE 
— BHKRMAN'S  COMMUNICATIONS  IN  DANGER — KILPATRICK'S  RAID — THB 
ARMY  ON  THE  MACON  ROAD — ATLANTA  CUT  OFF  AND  EVACUATED — SLOCUM 

OCCUPIES  THE  CITY — NON-COMBATANTS  ORDERED  OUT GALLANTRY  OF 

CORSE  AT  ALATOONA — PURSUIT  OF  HOOD PREPARATIONS  FOR  THE  MARCH 

TO  THE  SEA — ROME  AND  ATLANTA  BURNED — SHERMAN'S  ORDERS  RESPECT- 
ING FORAGING  PARTIES — DIVISIONS  OF  THE  ARMY — PILLAGE  OF  MADISON 
— CAVALRY  FIGHT  AT  LOVEJOY — MILLEDGEVILLE  REACHED — BATTLE  OF 
ORI8WOLDVILLE — MILLEN — DEFEAT  OF  WHEELER  AT  WAYNESBORO — 
SHERMAN'S  MARCH  TO  SAVANNAH — CAPTURE  OF  FORT  MCALLISTER — SA- 
VANNAH EVACUATED — SHERMAN  ENTERS  THE  CITY — THOMAS'S  CAMPAIGN 
TO  NASHVILLE — UTTER  DEFEAT  OF  HOOD. 

ON  the  20th  of  July,  Hood  made  a  sudden  and  furious 
onset  upon  the  Union  lines.  The  first  shock  was  met  by 
Newton's  division  of  Howard's  corps,  and  Johnston's  of 
Palmer's  corps.  They  had  just  thrown  up  a  barricade  of 
rails,  and  from  behind  it  now  poured  a  destructive  fire  on 
the  foe.  General  Hooker  had  no  defences,  but  his  troops 
stood  firm.  At  the  point  of  attack  there  was  a  gap  in  the 
lines  which  Hood  attempted  to  pierce  ;  but  the  lines  could 
not  be  broken.  The  Union  batteries  poured  forth  a  de- 
structive fire,  piling  the  dead  in  heaps  upon  the  field.  The 
rebels  fled  to  their  intrenchments  with  the  loss  of  five  thou- 
sand men,  the  Union  loss  being  but  half  that  number.  On 
the  22d,  Hood,  abandoning  his  line  of  defence,  fell  back  to 
his  redoubts.  Thomas  was  now  moving  onward  in  front, 
and  McPherson  marching  down  the  railroad  toward  Atlanta. 
Hood  massed  on  the  latter  general,  and  made  such  a  sud- 
den, fierce  onset  that  the  Union  forces  were  almost  over- 
whelmed. The  first  blow  fell  on  Blair,  and  the  infuriated 
foe  rushed  down  on  the  whole  line  with  great  impetuosity. 
In  the  rear  twelve  guns  were  captured,  the  enemy  rushing 
up  to  the  very  muzzles,  and  planting  their  flag  next  the 
stars  and  stripes.  A  most  desperate  hand  to  hand  struggle 
WW  here  maintained.  Sherman  with  Howard  and  Schofield, 


440  STOM51LAJTJ   RAID  AND   CAPTUKE. 

were  en  a  commanding  eminence  which  presented  a  view 
of  the  field.  Sherman  gave  General  Logan  the  order,  "  You 
must  retake  those  guns."  While  the  artillery  from  the  hill* 
poured  a  concentrated  fire  on  the  enemy,  Logan  quickly 
massed  his  troops ;  Wood's  division  led  the  charge,  and  in  a 
keen  contest  part  of  the  guns  were  retaken.  The  struggle 
was  short,  but  bloody.  Six  tremendous  attacks  were  made 
on  the  Fifteenth,  Sixteenth,  and  Seventeenth  corps,  but 
arhen  night  fell  the  victory  was  won.  Ranks  and  companies, 
swept  down  by  a  single  volley,  strewed  the  ground.  Gen- 
eral Logan's  report  estimates  the  rebel  loss  in  killed  at 
three  thousand,  and  his  entire  loss  at  twelve  thousand  men, 
besides  eighteen  stand  of  colors  and  five  thousand  small 
arms.  The  Union  loss  was  seventeen  hundred  men  and 
eight  pieces  of  artillery.  The  greatest  loss  was  the  death 
of  General  James  B.  McPherson,  a  very  talented  officer, 
who  was  held  in  high  esteem  by  General  Grant. 

The  next  day  Garrard  returned  from  a  successful  cavalry 
raid  to  Covington,  forty-two  miles  east  of  Atlanta,  in  which 
the  railroad  bridges  and  a  large  quantity  of  cotton  and 
stores  were  destroyed.  The  lines  were  now  drawn  closer  to 
the  city,  and  in  order  to  cut  off  its  supplies,  Stoneman,  with 
five  thousand  cavalry,  was  sent  to  destroy  the  Macon  rail- 
road. McCook  was  to  meet  him  on  the  railroad  near  Love- 
joy,  and  participate  in  the  movement.  Stoneman  penetrated 
the  country  until  he  was  in  front  of  Macon,  but  on  his  re- 
turn was  captured,  after  losing  one  thousand  of  his  men,  by 
Iverson.  McCook  performed  his  part,  but  being  surrounded 
by  a  large  infantry  and  cavalry  force,  had  to  cut  his  way 
out  by  desperate  fighting.  Hood,  now  seeing  the  coila 
tightening  around  him,  massed  his  army  in  a  fierce  assault 
on  the  Army  of  the  Tennessee  on  the  28th.  This  army  waa 
now  commanded  by  Howard.  Hooker,  offended  that  his 
claims  were  not  attended  to,  had  previously  requested  to  be 
relieved,  and  left  the  Army  of  the  West.  The  attack  was 
made  by  an  advance  on  the  Bull's  Ferry  road,  and  the 
massed  Confederates,  in  parallel  lines,  moved  right  upon  the 
Fifteenth  corps.  The  charge  was  met  so  firmly  that  the 
enemy  broke  and  fled,  and  six  assaults,  after  rallying,  were 
attended  with  no  more  favorable  results.  The  enemy's  losa 
in  this  attack  was  six  thousand,  with  five  stands  of  colors 
and  two  thousand  muskets,  while  the  loss  of  the  patriot! 


SHERMAN'S  ARMY  IN  MOTION.  441 

was  less  thaa  six  hundred.  The  lines  were  now  advanced 
without  interruption.  Sherman  made  an  assault  on  one 
point,  but  was  repulsed  with  the  loss  of  four  hundred  men. 

The  place  could  not  be  taken  by  storm  without  immense 
loss,  and  he  determined  to  plant  his  army  on  the  Macon 
road,  the  only  line  of  the  enemy's  supplies.  The  18th  of 
August  was  set  as  the  day  for  the  movement,  and  the  wag' 
ons  were  filled  with  provisions  for  fifteen  days.  The  Con- 
federate general  now  resolved  to  starve  Sherman  into  a 
retreat  by  sending  Wheeler  with  all  his  cavalry  force  to 
destroy  the  Chattanooga  railroad,  through  the  medium  of 
which  the  supplies  reached  the  Union  army.  Sherman 
knew  that  the  design  would  fail,  and  in  the  meantime  was 
relieved  from  the  annoyances  of  the  rebel  cavalry.  He  now 
sent  Kilpatrick,  with  four  thousand  cavalry  and  eight  pieces 
of  artillery,  to  destroy  the  West  Point  railroad  at  Fairburn, 
and  the  Macon  road  at  Jonesboro.  Kilpatrick  made  a  com- 
plete circle  of  Atlanta,  but  only  a  partial  success  attended 
the  enterprise,  as  to  break,  and  not  hold  the  railroads  per- 
manently, was  of  no  great  advantage.  Sherman  now  sent 
his  surplus  wagons  back  to  the  intrenched  bridge  on  the 
Chattahoochee,  and  the  Twentieth  corps  followed.  The  vast 
army,  directed  by  one  master-mind,  moved  on  different 
roads.  The  West  Point  railroad  was  reached  and  destroyed, 
and  the  army  then  moved  on  Jonesboro.  On  the  31st  of 
August,  the  right  wing,  under  Howard,  came  up;  the  centre, 
under  Thomas,  was  at  Couch's,  and  the  left,  with  Schofield, 
was  at  Bough  and  Beady,  flood  was  now  cut  off  south  and 
east  by  railroad,  and  must  either  overcome  the  forces  against 
him  or  evacuate  Atlanta. 

He  attempted  the  former,  and  the  corps  of  Generals  S.  D. 
Lee  and  Hardee,  assaulting  the  centre  with  great  vigoc  a 
desperate  battle  resulted,  in  which  the  veterans  of  Thomas, 
though  severely  pressed,  drove  back  the  eLemy,  who  lost 
Ibur  thousand  men.  On  the  1st  of  September,  Davis's  corps 
came  up,  and  moving  on  the  hostile  position,  captured  a 
whole  brigade,  with  its  general,  and  eight  guns.  The  ene- 
mv,  in  this  last  action,  had  five  thousand  men  placed  hors  de 
combat,  while  the  patriot  loss,  in  both  engagements,  was  lit- 
tle more  than  two  thousand.  Hood's  army  was  now  vanish- 
ing, and  flight  or  capture  was  the  only  alternative.  All  was 
lost,  And  aftei  blowing  up  his  magazines  and  stores,  and 


442  ATLANTA    EVACUATED. 

destroying  seven  locomotives  and  eighty-one  oars,  Hoxxi 
hastily  evacuated  the  stronghold  of  Atlanta,  and  moved 
with  great  celerity  over  the  country  toward  Macon.  On  the 
morning  of  the  2d,  Slocum,  who  had  heard  the  explosions, 
and  had  seen  the  heavens  red  with  the  flames,  sent  out  a 
strong  rtconnoissance,  and  finding  the  city  deserted,  marched 
in  and  took  possession.  The  army  pursued  Ho^d  thirty 
miles  to  Lovejoy,  where  he  was  found  strongly  iuirenchea. 
Sherman  wrote,  "Atlanta  is  ours,  and  fairly  won."  The 
army  now  moved  back  to  the  city,  and  this  extraordinary 
campaign  was  ended. 

Atlanta  was  now  put  in  a  state  of  defence,  and  all  non 
combatants  were  ordered  to  be  removed  to  the  Confederate 
lines.  Hood  declared  that  this  measure  was  "  unprecedented 
and  cruel,"  upon  which  Sherman  justified  himself,  and  dis- 
played his  ability  to  wield  the  pen  with  the  same  force 
and  skill  as  the  sword.  In  a  voluminous  correspondence 
with  the  city  authorities  on  the  subject,  this  great  leader 
manifested  his  intention  of  doing  all  in  his  power  to  lessen 
the  cruelties  of  war,  and  alleviate  the  distresses  thereby  oc- 
casioned. The  fall  of  Atlanta  caused  intense  feeling  in  the 
South,  and  Jefferson  Davis  hastened  to  Macon,  and  harangued 
the  people,  as  he  did  also  the  army  at  Palmetto.  In  violent 
language,  he  urged  the  people  for  an  active  campaign  against 
Sherman.  By  his  aid,  Hood  was  reinforced  by  forty  thou- 
sand men,  and  was  ready,  by  the  latter  part  of  September,  to 
move  again  on  the  Union  lines. 

Sherman  had  his  army  re-clothed,  his  garrisons  in  the 
rear  strengthened,  and  the  communications  secured.  The 
Ninth  Pennsylvania  cavalry,  four  hundred  and  fifty  strong, 
commanded  by  Colonel  Thomas  J.  Jordan,  on  its  way  to 
join  the  main  army,  had  a  brilliant  action,  on  the 
morning  of  the  6th  of  October,  at  Reedyville,  Tennessee, 
with  a  body  of  rebel  cavalry,  eighteen  hundred  strong, 
under  General  Dibbrell.  In  an  attack  at  daylight,  Jordan 
surprised  the  enemy's  camp,  and  after  a  severe  conflict  with 
the  sabre,  routed  them  with  the  loss  of  one  hundred  killed 
and  wounded,  two  hundred  and  fifty  captured,  and  a  large 
number  of  horses  and  small  arms. 

Hood,  unable  to  meet  Sherman  in  the  field,  determined 
to  cut  his  communications,  and  thus  compel  him  to  fall  back 
cm  Chatfcwiooga.  Accordingly,  he  sent  General  French,  with 


GALLANTRY  OF  CORS3  AT  ALATOONA,       448 

a  division,  to  capture  Alatoona,  the  secondary  base  of  Sher 
man's  supplies.  The  latter,  from  the  summit  of  Kenesaw 
telegraphed  General  Corse,  in  command  at  Rome,  to  proceed 
with  his  brigade  in  all  haste  to  Alatoona,  and  hold  it  to  the 
l.'ist  extremity,  till  he  himself  should  arrive  with  support 
Corse  immediately  started  with  two  thousand  men  by  rail- 
road,  and  made  his  dispositions  for  the  defence  of  the  place. 
On  the  demand  of  General  French  to  surrender,  the  Union 
coramander  peremptorily  refused,  and  had  hardly  time  to 
arrange  his  defences  (on  the  5th  of  October),  when  he  was 
furiously  assailed  by  the  enemy.  The  storm  broke  on  the 
Thirty  ninth  Iowa  and  the  Seventh  Illinois,  upon  which 
regiments,  nineteen  hundred  Texans  made  a  fierce  onset, 
iill  checked  by  Rowett's  command.  The  enemy  charged 
Again  and  again,  and  Rowett,  being  reinforced  by  the 
Ninety-third  Illinois,  and  aided  by  Redfield  seemed  to  prom- 
ise success.  Corse  then  saw  a  rebel  brigade,  under  Gen- 
eral Sears,  moving  from  the  north,  its  left  extending  across 
the  railroad.  He  moved  up  two  companies  of  the  Ninety- 
third  Illinois  regiment,  which  had  lain  at  some  distance,  and 
were  now  reinforced  by  the  pickets,  but  the  enemy's  line  of 
battle  struck  the  Thirty-ninth  Iowa  in  flank,  and  threatened 
the  whole  band  with  destruction.  Colonel  Tourtellotte's 
fire  caught  the  enemy  in  flank,  and  broke  their  lines;  they 
rallied,  however,  and  made  such  desperate  attacks,  both  in 
front  and  flank,  as  broke  Rowett's  line.  The  splendid  fighting 
of  the  Thirty-ninth  Iowa,  in  a  hand  to  hand  conflict,  in  turn 
broke  the  enemy's  lines,  and  before  he  could  restore  them, 
the  Seventh  and  Ninety-third  Illinois,  and  the  remnant  of  the 
Thirty-ninth  Iowa  fell  back  into  the  fort.  The  Twelfth  and 
Fiftieth  Illinois,  arriving  from  the  east  hill,  enabled  the  patri- 
pts  to  occupy  every  foot  of  trench,  and  keep  up  a  line  of  fire, 
Huch  as  would  render  the  fort  impregnable  while  the  ammu- 
nition held  out.  When  it  failed,  a  brave  soldier  crossed  over 
to  another  fort,  under  the  enemy's  fire,  and  brought  back  a 
fresh  supply,  and  the  fight  went  on.  Corse  knew  that  Sher- 
man was  hurrying  troops,  with  all  speed,  to  his  relief. 
Sherman  "  could  see  the  smoke  of  battle,  and  hear  the  faint 
sound  of  artillery."  His  signals  were  long  unheeded,  as 
Corse-  was  fig  iting  hard,  but  at  last  the  latter  answered,  and 
the  former  felt  secure  that,  while  his  brave  subordinate  lived, 
he  would  defend  Alatoona.  The  enemy  was  repulsed  at 


444  ROME   AND    ATLANTA    BURNED. 

every  point,  his  dead  strewed  the  ground,  and  at  thret  P.  ». 
his  bugles  sounded  a  retreat.  The  bravery  of  the  Union 
forces,  in  this  defence,  emulates  Thermopylae. 

General  Sherman  passed  through  Alatoona,  and  on  the 
sixth  reached  Kingston.  He  at  once  reinforced  Resaca, 
and  pushed  the  army  forward  to  that  point  Hood  now 
found  the  patriots  ready  to  fight  in  every  place,  no  matter 
how  greatly  they  were  outnumbered.  Dalton  alone  wai 
taken  by  him  without  resistance,  and  this  was  of  slight 
importance,  as  Sherman  was  following  up,  determined  to 
offer  the  rebels  battle  wherever  they  could  be  met.  The 
latter  therefore  retreated,  through  a  gap  in  the  mountain 
ridge,  from  the  railroad  line  to  Lafayette,  twenty-five  milea 
southwest  of  Dalton,  and  from  thence  retreated  to  the  Ten- 
nessee. General  Sherman  now  sent  General  Thomas  to  take 
care  of  Hood,  and  returned  to  Atlanta,  where  he  prepared 
for  a. march  through  the  heart  of  Georgia,  to  Savannah,  a 
distance  of  two  hundred  and  ninety -one  miles. 

Rome  was  burned,  and  in  a  few  days  Atlanta  shared  tWj 
same  fate.  On  the  12th  of  November  Sherman  was  detachoJ 
from  all  his  communications,  and  was  prepared  for  an  advance 
— the  boldest  and  most  hazardous  undertaking  of  the  war. 
His  army  was  divided  into  four  corps ;  the  Fifteenth  and 
Seventeenth  composed  the  right  wing,  under  Major-general 
O.  0.  Howard,  and  the  Fourteenth  and  Twentieth  the  left 
wing,  under  Major-general  H.  W.  Slocum,  making  a  strength 
in  the  aggregate  of  sixty  thousand  men,  with  a  cavalry  divi- 
sion of  five  thousand  five  hundred  men,  under  Brigadier- 
genoral  Kilpatrick,  and  the  artillery  reduced  to  one  gun  for 
every  thousand  men.  The  whole  army  moved  rapidly,  and 
concentrated,  on  the  14th  of  November,  at  Atlanta.  The 
troops  were  to  subsist  on  the  enemy's  country,  and  each 
foraging  party  was  to  be  under  the  direction  of  a  discreci 
officer.  Horses,  mules,  and  wagons  were  allowed  to  be  cap 
tured  freely,  and  without  limit,  by  the  cavalry  and  artillery, 
The  army  was  not  to  live  like  banditti,  but  every  brigade 
and  regiment  was  to  have  its  own  recognized  foraging  party, 
and  in  taking  provisions,  sufficient  was  to  be  left  for  the 
maintenance  of  the  inhabitants.  Soldiers  were  not  to  enter 
the  dwellings  of  the  residents,  or  commit  any  trespasses 
but  during  the  halt  or  in  camp,  were  to  be  permitted  to  gathe* 
turnips,  potatoes,  and  other  vegetables,  and  drive  in 
in  front  of  their  camps. 


PILLAGE    OF    MADISCrW.  445 

Such  were  the  wise  and  humane  principles  on  which  thia 
great  march  was  generally  conducted;  but  there  were  excep- 
tions for  which  none  of  the  commanders  were  responsible, 
in  which  a  few  wicked  wretches  sullied  the  army  with  dis 
honor.  Money,  jewels,  silks,  books,  etc.,  were  plundered, 
and  murders  committed  to  extort  the  hidden  treasures  of 
the  irhabitants.  The  most  opulent  families  were  stripped 
r-.f  every  thing,  and  women,  delicately  brought  up,  and  accus- 
tomed to  luxury  all  their  lives,  reduced  with  their  families 
co  absolute  want.  The  cotton,  and  all  that  could  support 
the  rebel  army,  or  prolong  the  war,  were  committed  to  the 
flames,  which  glared  on  the  horizon  in  every  direction,  far 
as  the  eye  could  reach ;  and  for  a  belt  of  sixty  miles,  through 
the  heart  of  this  opulent  State,  the  country  was  left  full  of 
desolation.  The  eyes  of  the  writer  have  witnessed  scenes 
which  fill  them  with  tears  at  the  recollection — scenes  which 
would  wring  the  most  unfeeling  heart  with  anguish. 

About  two  thousand  wagons  formed  the  entire  train ;  each 
corps  had  its  own,  and  each  brigade  several,  one  only  being 
allowed  to  a  regiment.  Transportation  was  had  by  pack 
mules,  and  frequently  the  movement  of  an  army  wagon  was 
such  as  to  leave  the  officers  without  a  supply  of  provisions. 
The  march  was  to  be  by  four  parallel  roads,  to  average  fif- 
teen miles  a  day,  and  to  begin  at  seven  o'clock  in  the  morn- 
ing. Howard,  with  the  right  wing,  was  to  follow  the  Georgia 
Central  railroad,  running  southwesterly  through  Macon  and 
Milledgeville,  to  Savannah ;  and  Slocum,  with  the  left  wing, 
was  to  march  along  the  railroad,  running  east  to  Augusta. 
These  railroads  were  to  be  destroyed  as  the  army  advanced. 
The  road  which  Slocum  took,  was  one  hundred  and  seventy 
miles  to  Augusta,  and  that  of  Howard,  two  hundred  and 
ninety-one  miles  to  Savannah.  Two  divisions  of  cavalry, 
commanded  by  Kilpatrick,  protected  both  flanks.  The  in- 
habitants were  terrified,  as  the  army  proceeded  on  its  march. 
Slocum  advanced,  destroying  the  track  on  his  way,  and 
pushed  through  Decatur,  Social  Circle,  Rutledge,  and  Mad- 
ison. He  destroyed  the  railroad  and  two  hundred  bales  of 
cotton,  at  the  last  named  place,  where  houses  were  plundered 
mirrors  und  pianos  broken  to  pieces,  and  the  stores  gutted 
before  the  head  of  the  column  could  enter  the  town  and  put 
an  end  to  such  disgraceful  proceedings.  From  Madison, 
Gteary'g  division  marked  on  the  Oconse,  wtule  §  body  </ 

m 


446  CAVALRY   FIGHT   AT   LOVKJOY   STATION. 

cavalry  crossed  that  stream  and  proceeded  to  Grecnboro^ 
sixty-four  miles  from  Augusta.  The  cavalry  turned  at  this 
point,  and  marched  directly  south  toward  Milledgeville. 
The  Fourteenth  corps  turned  in  the  same  direction,  and 
proceeded  toward  the  same  point,  on  which  Geary,  farther  to 
the  east,  was  now  moving  down,  on  the  west  bank  of  the 
Oconee. 

On  the  21st,  Sherman  entered  Milledgeville,  the  capi'al 
of  Georgia,  while  Howard  was  marching  direct  on  Maco». 
The  cavalry  protecting  the  right  wing,  was  to  make  a  feint 
on  Forsyth,  and  after  crossing  the  Ocmulgee  river,  threaten 
Macon,  near  which  the  railroad  was  to  be  destroyed,  and 
then  to  fall  back  toward  Gordon,  tearing  up  the  track  on 
the  route.  This  was  to  be  done  in  seven  days. 

Kilpatrick  met  and  repulsed  the  enemy  at  Lovejoy  Sta- 
tion. Their  works  were  gallantly  carried  by  Colonel  Mur- 
ray, and  two  guns,  previously  lost  by  General  Stoneman, 
were  recaptured.  The  enemy  also  lost  a  large  number  in 
killed  and  wounded.  Wheeler  made  another  stand  at  Bear 
creek,  but  Colonel  Atkins,  in  a  vigorous  charge,  drove  him 
from  the  field  to  Griffin.  The  cavalry  now  moved  rapidly 
toward  Planter's  Factory,  and  crossing  the  Ocmulgee  on  the 
17th  of  November,  reached  Clinton.  On  the  advance  toward 
Macon,  they  encountered  and  drove  Wheeler's  cavalry 
across  Walnut  creek,  and  carried  Old  Fort  Hawkins,  at 
East  Macon.  A  large  army,  defended  by  breastworks,  and 
with  strong  artillery,  was  concentrated  in  this  place.  It  was 
not  the  intention  to  assault  the  position,  and  General  How- 
ard, in  order  to  get  across  the  Ocmulgee  without  a  figh;.. 
sent  the  cavalry,  by  daring  and  vigorous  movements,  to 
&larm  the  garrison,  while  he  proceeded  to  Griswoldvulle,  ten 
milt-a  beyond.  Here,  he  left  a  part  of  the  Fifteenth  corps 
to  protect  his  rear,  and  proceeding  onward,  entered  Mil- 
ledge\'ille  on  the  22d  (of  November).  Meanwhile,  the  rebel 
leaders  at  Macon,  furious  at  being  outgeneralled,  made  a 
desperate  attack  on  the  forces  left  at  Griswoldville,  with 
three  militia  infantry  brigades,  and  Wheeler's  entire  cavalry 
force ;  but,  in  a  battle  at  Griswold  Station,  they  were  re- 
pulsed. On  the  22d,  having  driven  in  the  Federal  pickets, 
they  again  advanced,  and  another  severe  action  took  place 
at  Griswoldville.  In  this  action,  the  Ninth  Pennsylvania 
•avalry  Colonel  Jordan,  bore  the  brunt,  and  fought  tbt 


MILLBDOEYILLB  BIAOHKD.  447 

enemy  with  the  sabre  alone.  The  regiment  lost  twenty  five 
killed  and  wounded  and  fifty  taken  prisoners.  The  rebels 
were  finally  repulsed,  with  the  loss  of  one  thousand  men 
killed  and  wounded.  General  Walcott,  coming  up  with  a 
body  of  Union  infantry,  drove  them  beyond  Griswold  Sta- 
tion. On  the  same  day,  Colonel  Atkins,  with  the  Second 
Union  cavalry  brigade,  bad  a  severe  conflict  with  the  rebel 
cavalry  on  the  Macon  and  Milledgeville  road,  in  which  the 
latter  were  repulsed,  and  the  tr  lins,  on  the  route  from  Clin- 
ton to  Gordon,  remained  unmolested.  The  cavalry  now 
reached  Milledgeville,  and  rested  a  few  hours  in  order  to 
get  supplies.  The  soldiers  had  taken  possession  of  the 
State  Capitol,  from  which  the  Legislature  had  fled  in  dis- 
may, on  the  approach  of  the  army.  A  mock  legislature  was 
now  improvised,  and  the  forms  of  debate  gone  through, 
when  a  soldier  appeared  at  the  door,  shouting,  "  the  Yankees 
are  coming."  The  assembly  dissolved  in  laughter,  and  made 
a  rush  to  the  door. 

Kilpatrick  was  here  instructed  by  Sherman  to  move 
rapidly  toward  Millen,  and  liberate  the  prisoners  there  con- 
fined. Accordingly,  he  crossed  the  Ogeechee  river  at  the 
shoals,  and  at  Waynesboro  reached  the  railroad,  a  part  of 
which,  as  well  as  the  railroad  bridge  over  Briar  creek,  had 
been  destroyed  by  Captain  Estes  the  day  before. 

In  this  work  of  destruction,  the  Union  cavalry  was  severely 
attacked  by  the  enemy,  who  were  driven  off  finally  by 
Colonel  Murray,  with  the  Third  Kentucky  and  Ninth  Penn- 
sylvania regiments.  The  rebel  cavalry  had  been  skirmish- 
ing with  Kilpatrick,  and  harassing  his  rear  for  some  time, 
but  hitherto  had  evinced  no  disposition  for  a  vigorous  attack, 
[t  was  now  found  that  the  Union  prisoners  had  been  removed 
from  Millen.  After  the  track  at  Waynesboro  had  been 
destroyed,  Kilpatrick  retired  to  the  infantry  force  at  Louis- 
ville, Georgia,  and  on  the  march  thither,  with  two  regiments, 
was  cut  off  and  surrounded  by  the  enemy's  cavalry.  With 
great-  presence  of  mind,  and  aided  by  the  bravery  of  Colonel 
Jones,  Eighth  Indiana  cavalry,  and  Colonel  Acker,  Seventh 
Michigan,  with  their  commands,  he  cut  his  way  out,  and, 
reaching  Buckhea-1  creek,  found  Wheeler  with  all  the  rebel 
cavalry  crossing.  Kilpatrick  had  burned  the  bridge  behind 
him,  and  now,  throwing  up  barricades,  had  scarcely  com- 
pleted them,  when  the  enemj  rushed  on  in  fierce  assault 


448  DEFEAT    OF    WHEELER   AT   WAYNMSBORO. 

They  were  repulsed  in  a  brief  struggle,  and  the  left  wing  ol 
the  army,  at  Louisville,  was  reached  by  the  Union  cavalrj 
on  the  28th.  There,  a  few  days  of  rest  were  enjoyed  by  the 
fatigued  troops,  and  the  army  then  marched  on  Millen, 
•which  is  located  on  the  railroad  between  Savannah  and 
Augusta.  The  alarmed  enemy  had  deemed  the  latter  place 
Sherman's  objective  point,  and  the  means  by  which  that 
able  general  had  deceived  them  could  now  be  no  longer 
used.  On  December  2d,  leaving  Augusta  and  Macon  in  his 
rear,  he  boldly  marched  on  Savannah.  The  same  day,  the 
cavalry,  with  a  division  of  infantry,  under  General  Baird, 
moved  on  the  Waynesboro  road,  and  encountering  a  large 
force  of  the  enemy  at  Eocky  creek,  drove  them  in  rapid 
retreat  toward  Waynesboro  and  Augusta.  Moving  on 
Thomas's  Station,  the  railroad  was  thoroughly  destroyed. 
Near  Waynesboro,  the  enemy  attacked  Colonel  Atkins, 
but  were  repulsed,  with  loss. 

Kilpatrick  was  ordered  by  Sherman  to  reconnoitre  toward 
the  latter  place,  and  fight  Wheeler  wherever  he  could  find 
him.  Accordingly,  on  the  3d  of  December,  he  forced  in  the 
enemy's  skirmishers,  placed  the  Tenth  Wisconsin  battery, 
Captain  Beebe,  within  six  hundred  yards  of  the  barricades, 
and  by  an  impetuous  charge  of  the  whole  line,  forced  the 
rebels  to  retire.  In  several  counter-charges  they  were  re 
pulsed,  and  finally  withdrew  to  a  strong  position  in  the  towo 
of  Waynesboro.  The  Union  troops  were  properly  posted, 
and  Kilpatrick  determined  to  break  the  enemy's  centre. 
For  this  purpose,  he  ordered  Colonel  Murray  to  make  his 
dispositions,  and  then  sounded  the  charge.  The  enemy  were 
driven  from  their  works  by  a  fierce  charge,  and  the  pursuit 
was  continued  as  far  as  Briar  creek.  After  tearing  up  the 
track,  the  Union  cavalry  proceeded  to  Alexander.  Thig  was 
the  last  fight  that  occurred  during  the  march.  The  Confed- 
erate cavalry  had  been  severely  punished,  and  were  now  so 
demoralized,  that  the  rest  of  the  campaign  was  passed  with- 
out ar  y  attack  or  molestation  on  their  part. 

The  march  had  hitherto  been  through  a  beautiful  country, 
where  were  rich  plantations,  cultivated  fields,  thriving  towns, 
and  charming  rural  villages.  Now,  between  the  Savannah 
and  Ogeechee  rivers,  pine  forests  formed  arcades,  through 
which  the  sound  of  the  drums  and  bugles,  and  the  tread 
of  infantry  and  cavalry  resounded.  The  army  marched  OB 


CAPTURE   OF   FORT   MCALLISTER.  448 

eighty  miles  to  Savannah,  and  soon  Sherman  heard  the 
booming  of  cannon  from  Ossabaw  Sound,  which  he  knew 
proceeded  from  the  signal  guns  of  the  fleet.  He  answered 
them  on  the  9th,  by  sending  Colonel  Duncan  down  the 
Ogeechee.  In  three  days  after,  the  latter  reached  the  fleet 
of  Dahlgren,  and  the  army  rejoiced  to  know  that  there  was 
once  more  communication  with  their  friends  in  the  NortK 
The  lines  now  steadily  closed  upon  Savannah,  but  siege 
gurs  must  be  brought  from  the  fleet  to  besiege  the  city. 
Fort  McAllister  commanded  the  entrance  of  the  Ogeechee 
river,  and  two  attempts  to  reduce  it  by  the  iron-clads  had 
already  failed.  This  fort  was  defended  by  a  garrison  of 
khree  thousand  men ;  its  capture  was  necessary.  Sherman,, 
resolved  on  taking  it,  selected  Hazen,  with  his  veteran  di- 
vision, for  this  duty,  and  on  the  12th  told  him  of  what  he 
expected  him  to  perform.  On  the  13th,  Hazen  made  an 
assault  on  the  stronghold  with  nine  regiments.  The  fort 
was  situated  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Ogeechee,  and  a  space, 
a  third  of  a  mile,  intervened,  in  which  were  placed  torpe- 
does, through  which  the  storming  force  must  pass  under  fire, 
before  the  ramparts  could  be  reached.  It  was  a  desperate 
undertaking.  The  sound  of  the  guns  told  Sherman  that  the 
assault  had  commenced,  and  Hazen  saw  the  signal,  "  The  fort 
must  be  taken  at  all  hazards  to-night."  The  brave  troops, 
overcoming  every  obstruction,  and  with  heavy  loss,  rushed 
forward,  and  in  a  fierce  assault,  the  fort  was  captured,  and 
the  Federal  flag  waved  upon  it  triumphantly.  General  Sher- 
man ordered  a  boat  to  be  manned,  rowed  swiftly  across  the 
river,  and  seizing  the  brave  Hazen  by  the  hand,  overwhelmed 
him  with  praise.  He  now  determined  to  assault  the  enemy's 
works,  and  on  the  17th,  a  number  of  thirty-pound  Parrott 
guns  having  reached  Kingsbridge,  he  formally  demanded  a 
surrender  of  the  city  of  Savannah,  which  was  rejected  by 
General  Hardee.  The  Union  commander  made  his  recon 
noisflances,  and  ordered  General  Slocum  to  put  the  siege  guna 
in  position,  and  prepare  for  the  final  assault.  He  placed  a 
division  between  the  Coosawhatchie  and  Tillifinney  rivers, 
under  General  Foster,  and  then  left  for  Port  Eoyal,  for  re- 
inforcements, with  which  to  carry  the  Charleston  ind  Sa- 
vannah railroad,  and  gain  the  Union  Causeway,  a  plank 
road  on  the  South  Carolii\a  side  of  the  river,  the  occupation 
r*"  which  would  make  the  investment  of  the  place  complete 


460  SUBRENDER   OF   SAVANNAH. 

He  put  to  sea  on  the  20th,  but  was  unable,  from  a  gale  of 
wind  arising,  to  get  into  Ossabaw  Sound.  In  order  to  reach 
the  inland  channel  into  Warsaw  Sound,  the  vessel  ran  into 
Tyljee  Sound,  and  thence  through  Romney  Maish,  but  was 
unable  to  proceed,  on  account  of  the  ebb  tide,  and  Admiral 
Dahlgren  took  the  general  in  his  tug  toward  Yernon  river. 
A  message,  received  while  on  his  way,  informed  him  that 
Savannah  was  evacuated,  being  already  in  the  possession  of 
the  Union  troops,  and  hurrying  back,  he  entered  that  city 
early  on  the  22d.  The  city  had  surrendered  to  General 
Geary.  Sherman  sent  the  President  this  despatch :  "  I  beg 
to  present  you,  as  a  Christmas  gift,  the  city  of  Savannah, 
with  one  hundred  and  fifty  guns,  plenty  of  ammunition,  and 
about  twenty-five  thousand  bales  of  cotton."  There  were 
found  in  all  thirty-eight  thousand  bales,  besides  three  steam- 
ers, locomotives,  cars,  and  eight  hundred  prisoners.  This 
was  one  of  the  most  wonderful  campaigns  in  military  his- 
tory. During  the  march,  ten  thousand  negroes  flocked  to 
the  Union  lines,  and  it  was  affecting  to  see  how  delighted 
many  of  these  poor  creatures  were,  on  seeing  the  patriot 
army,  in  whose  track  the  slave  became  free.  In  the  city  of 
Savannah,  a  colored  school  was  now  established,  and  the 
children,  liberated  by  the  sword,  sat  with  books  in  their 
hands,  and  teachers  before  them,  on  the  same  platform  where 
slaves  had,  but  a  short  time  before,  been  bought  and  sold 
like  brutes.  Tears  filled  the  eyes  of  parents  as  they  gazed 
in  wonder  and  thankfulness  to  God.  The  sufferings  of  the 
whites  in  the  city,  were  alleviated  by  the  people  of  the 
North,  who  sent  them  ship  loads  of  provisions  to  keep  them 
from  starvation.  Under  the  order  established  by  General 
Geary,  the  people  were  protected  in  life  and  property,  and 
began  to  feel  secure  and  prosperous. 

We  now  direct  the  reader's  attention  to  the  rebel  army 
under  General  Hood.  When  he  found  himself  north  of  the 
Tennessee,  and  his  pursuer  still  at  Atlanta,  his  surprise 
knew  no  bounds,  and  as  he  could  not  now  overtake  him,  he 
resolved  to  attack  Nashville.  Steedman  held  Chattanooga, 
Bridgeport,  and  the  line  of  railroad.  Schofield,  with  the 
Twenty-third  corps,  was  to  check  the  advance  of  the  Con- 
federate general,  until  Thomas  should  be  able  to  concentrate 
his  army.  Hood  pressed  Schofield  so  hard  at  Duck  river, 
that  he  was  compelled  to  retreat,  and  firing  his  own  pon 


THOMAS'S   CAMPAIGN   TO   NASHVILL1.  451 

toons,  he  marched  rapidly  to  Franklin,  eighteen  miles  from 
Nashville,  as  in  case  of  the  rebels  reaching  Harpeth  river  first, 
he  would  be  cut  off.  It  was  a  race  for  life.  Schofield  was 
impeded  with  his  train,  which,  when  transported  safely  over 
.he  river,  he  resolved  to  strike  the  rebels  a  blow;  and,  pro- 
tected by  his  breastworks,  he,  on  the  30th  of  November, 
awaited  their  approach. 

The  battle  of  Franklin  began  by  a  bold  attack  of  Hood 
on  the  Union  centre,  which  he  carried,  and  forced  back 
General  Wagner,  with  the  loss  of  two  guns.  In  rallying 
the  latter  officer  charged  in  turn,  retook  the  guns,  and  cap- 
tured a  rebel  brigade. 

Cox,  Wagner,  Opdyke,  and  Stanley  fought  with  great 
resolution,  but  Hood  succeeded,  though  with  great  loss,  in 
capturing  their  first  line  of  works.  At  sunset,  the  struggle 
became  terrible,  when  Cox  and  Stanley  reformed,  and  strove 
to  drive  back  the  enemy.  Night  ended  the  contest,  and 
Hood  retired  with  the  loss  of  six  thousand  men,  having  had 
also  six  general  officers  killed,  six  wounded,  and  one 
captured ;  the  Federal  loss  was  two  thousand  three  hundred. 
Schofield,  having  thus  severely  punished  the  enemy,  fell 
back  to  Nashville.  On  the  same  day  arrived  the  commands 
of  General  A.  J.  Smith,  from  St.  Louis,  and  Steedman,  with 
five  thousand  men,  and  a  colored  brigade,  from  Chattanooga. 
The  rebel  army  lay  on  the  hills  around  Nashville,  five  miles 
from  the  city,  and  General  Thomas  occupied  intrenchmenta 
near  it.  The  whole  range  of  hills,  in  the  Federal  lines,  was  a 
net- work  of  fortifications.  On  the  2d  of  December,  Thomas 
opened  with  his  batteries,  and  eight  gunboats,  together  with 
the  iron-clad  Neosho,  came  up  the  river  Cumberland.  When 
Thomas  was  ready,  being  still  in  need  of  a  cavalry  force,  the 
Secretary  of  War  ordered  General  Wilson  to  impress  all  the 
good  horses  in  Tennessee  and  Kentucky.  Grant  was  now 
impatient,  and  did  not  understand  the  reason  of  Thomas's 
delay,  but  the  latter  could  not,  at  the  time,  impart  them,  for 
reasons  which  were  afterward  satisfactory  to  the  comman- 
der-in-chief. 

On  the  14th  of  December,  Thomas  gave  orders  to  the  army 
to  be  ready  for  the  assault  at  early  dawn,  next  morning. 
The  plan  was  a  feint  on  the  enemy's  right,  and  then  a  sud- 
den attack  on  his  left  and  centre.  Smith,  with  the  Sixteenth 
corps,  on  the  (Union)  right,  moved  forward  at  daybreak; 


452  UTTER    DEFEAT   OF   HOOD. 

Wilson's  cavalry  protected  his  right,  and  Wood,  with  the 
Fourth  corps,  closed  in  on  his  left;  Schofield,  with  the 
Twenty-third  corps  in  reserve,  being  stationed  on  the  left 
of  the  latter.  The  heavy  firing  on  their  extreme  right 
roused  the  Confederates  at  day  dawn,  and  before  they  could 
tell  its  meaning,  Smith  and  Wood  dashed  upon  them,  and 
drove  their  left  back  on  the  centre,  while  Wilson  fell  upon 
their  flank  and  rear.  Hood  now  hurried  up  all  his  troop? 
from  the  right,  and  strengthened  his  centre  so  that  no  advan- 
tage could  be  taken  cf  any  weak*  point.  The  night  ended 
the  combat,  in  which  the  enemy  had  lost  two  thousand  pris 
oners  and  sixty  guns. 

During  the  night,  Hood  contracted  his  lines.  He  had 
sent  off  his  cavalry,  and  Thomas  had  no  fear  of  any  inter- 
ruption from  that  source,  as  he  also  had  sent  Wilson  with 
the  Federal  cavalry,  in  the  rear,  by  a  circuit,  in  order  to 
conceal  the  movement.  The  latter  general  waited  anxiously 
for  the  approach  of  the  hostile  cavalry.  Hood  was  awaiting 
an  attack,  and  Smith  and  Schofield  would  have  gladly  grati- 
fied him  by  making  one,  but  Thomas  restrained  them,  till 
four  P.  M.,  when  the  cavalry,  creeping  in  upon  Hood's  rear, 
the  report  of  their  carbines  told  that  the  favorable  moment 
had  come.  The  assaulting  columns  advanced  with  shouts, 
stormed  the  rebel  batteries,  scaled  the  hill,  and  captured  the 
strong  fort  which  commanded  the  Franklin  pike,  together 
with  nine  guns.  Over  five  thousand  prisoners,  including 
one  major-general,  three  brigadiers,  and  two  hundred  com- 
missioned officers,  were  captured ;  the  field  was  covered  with 
the  rebel  dead  and  wounded,  and  forty  pieces  of  artillery 
and  large  quantities  of  small  arms  fell  into  the  hands  of  the 
victors.  In  two  days,  Thomas  had  taken  eight  thousand 
prisoners,  and  nearly  sixty  pieces  of  artillery.  The  Fourth 
sorps,  and  the  cavalry  of  Wilson,  began  the  pursuit.  Hood, 
on  the  evening  of  the  19th,  crossed  Duck  river,  and  took  up 
the  bridge ;  Forrest's  cavalry  joined  him  at  Columbia,  and 
Cheatham's  corps  also  united  with  him  soon  after.  The  de- 
feated Confederates  fled  to  Alabama,  and  the  campaign 
ended.  Thus  virtually  closed  the  war  in  the  extensive 
valley  of  the  Mississippi. 


CHAPTER  XLIV. 

JULY  —  SEPTEMBER,  1864 


I4.«LY'i  rrMlT^H  07  MARYLAND  —  WALLACK    DEFEATED  —ll  HANI,  UT*\.K9* 

OF  THK  MTLITIA  AT  THE  NORTH  —  REBELS  NEAR  WASHINGTON  —  BUR/UNO 
Of  CHAMBERSBURG  —  WRIGHT  AND  HUNTER  RELIEVED  —  8HFRIDAN  IN  COW- 
HAND IN  THE  VALLEY  -  FAILURE  OF  THE  MINE  AT  PETERSBURG  -  CALL  FOB 
MORE  TROOPS  —  CAPTURE  OF  FORTS  GAINES  AND  MORGAN,  MOBILE  —  DUTCH 
OAP  CANAL  —  WARREN'S  FIGHT  FOR  THE  WELDON  RAILROAD  —  BATTLE  OF 
REAM'S  STATION  —  SHERIDAN  IN  THK  SHENANDOAH  VALLEY  —  PURSUIT  OF 
EARLY  —  MOSBY  CAPTURES  THE  TRAINS  —  SHERIDAN  RETP.EATS  —  BOLIVAR 
HEIGHTS  -  SECOND  ADVANCE  OF  SHERIDAN  —  BERRYVILLE  -  EXPLANATION 
BY  GRANT  —  BATTLES  OF  OPEQUAN  CREEK  AND  FISHER'S  HILL  —  EARLY 
DEFEATED  —  BROWN'S  GAP  —  SHERIDAN  RETIRES  —  HIS  REPORT  —  NEW  POSI- 
TION —  LEAVES  FOR  WASHINGTON  —  GRANT'S  SUDDEN  MOVEMENT  ON  THE 
JAMES  —  EARLY'S  ATTACK  IN  SHERIDAN'S  ABSENCE  —  ROUT  OF  THE  ARMY— 
SHERIDAN'S  OPPORTUNE  ARRIVAL  —  THE  ENEMY  OVERTHROWN  —  THB  PUR- 

SUIT —  THE  REBELS  ABANDON  SHENANDOAH  VALLEY. 

WHEN  Hunter  left  the  Shenandoah  valley,  Maryland  was 
again  invaded.  On  the  2d  of  July,  the  enemy  was  moving 
on  Martinsburg,  and  Sigel,  on  the  3d,  crossed  the  Potomac 
in  retreat.  Weber,  in  command  at  Harper's  Ferry,  also 
crossed  the  river,  and  occupied  Maryland  Heights.  Fred- 
erick City  was  alarmed,  the  Government  stores  were  removed, 
and  the  people  fled  with  their  goods.  On  the  6th,  the  enem^ 
in  force  occupied  Hagerstown,  the  alarmed  inhabitants  of 
which,  in  crowds  conveyed  their  possessions  to  Baltimore, 
and  all  seemed  to  be  abandoning  the  place.  Grant  h  ad  lately 
lost  heavily,  and  for  the  time  could  render  little  assistance. 
The  enemy  encountered  General  Wallace,  with  Rickett's 
division,  on  the  Monocacy,  and  compelled  him  to  retreat 
with  heavy  loss.  New  York,  Pennsylvania,  and  Masssachu- 
uetts,  were  called  on  for  their  quotas  of  militia.  Troops 
hurried  to  Washington,  and  the  presence  of  Grant's  army 
might  yet  be  required  to  defend  the  capital.  It  was  foitu 
nate  that  the  Nineteenth  corps  had  been  ordered  home  ;  it 
was  now  at  Hampton  Roads,  and  hurried  on  to  the  capital 
wSth  speed,  followed  by  the  Sixth  corps,  under  General 
Wright.  Early  now  moved  rapidly  on  Washington,  while 

(453) 


4:64    REBELS  NEAR  WASHINGTON — CHAMBERSBURG  BURNED. 

a  body  of  rebel  cavalry,  undei  Gilrnor,  on  Monday,  July 
the  llth,  captured  a  train  on  the  railroad  between  Baltimore 
and  Philadelphia,  and  by  destroying  Gunpowder  bridge, 
severed  communication  with  Washington.  General  Frank- 
lin was  captured  on  the  train,  but  shortly  afterward  made 
his  escape.  Governor  Bradford's  house,  in  the  suburbs  of 
Baltimore,  was  burned  by  a  rebel  squad,  while  others  plun- 
dered all  that  they  could  lay  hands  on.  The  main  body 
moved  on  Washington,  and  when  within  less  than  two  miles 
of  that  city,  took  up  a  position  in  front  of  Fort  Stevens. 
In  the  latter  part  of  Sunday  the  skirmishing  was  heavy,  and 
the  Union  loss  nearly  300.  The  Sixth  corps  arrived  in  time 
to  save  the  fort,  and  lae  rebels  withdrew.  General  Wright 
was  now  put  in  command  of  all  the  troops  around  Washing- 
ton, and  received  orders  to  "  push  Early  to  the  last  moment." 
The  rebel  cavalry  now  fell  back  to  the  main  body,  and 
Early,  though  pursued  by  Wright,  got  safely  across  the 
Potomac  with  a  vast  amount  of  booty.  General  Wright 
crossed  the  Potomac  at  Edwards'  Ferry,  where  Rickett's 

•  sion  now  joined  the  corps. 

1  n  the  24th,  Early,  pursued  by  Crook  and  Averill,  fell 
•  their  cavalry  in  great  force,  and  furiously,  compelling 
them  to  recross  the  Potomac  with  loss.  The  southern  shore, 
from  Williamsport  to  Sheppardstown,  was  now  in  possession 
of  the  rebels,  and  they  again  tore  up  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio 
railroad.  On  the  30th,  McCausland  recrossed  the  Potomac 
with  a  body  of  cavalry,  and  moving  on  Chambersburg,  levied 
half  a  million  of  dollars  on  the  inhabitants ;  but  this  being 
refused,  he  laid  the  greater  part  of  the  beautiful  town  in 
ashes.  General  Kelley  met  this  force  retreating  toward 
Cumberland,  and  defeated  and  dispersed  it.  The  rebels  now 
held  the  Shenandoah  valley,  from  which  Early  expected  to 
obtain  much  grain,  and  Hunter,  whose  forces  lay  on  the 
Monocacy,  now  confronted  his  old  enemy.  Grant  paid 
Hunter  a  visit  on  the  4th  of  August,  and  gave  him  instruc- 
tions. That  night  the  troops  advanced  to  Halltown,  On 
the  llth,  the  Middle  Department,  and  the  Departments  of 
Wes.t  Virginia,  Washington,  and  Susquehanna,  were  etui 
aolidated  into  the  "  Middle  Military  Division,"  and  General 
Sheridan  was  appointed  to  the  command.  From  that  time, 
affairs  in  the  valley,  so  often  disastrous  to  the  Union  armies^ 
during  the  various  periods  of  the  war,  now  began  to  wear  * 
new  and  brighter  aspect 


K-SJ'LOSION    OF   THE    MINE    AT    PETERSBURG.  456 

While  these  events  were  enacting,  a  desperate  attempt 
*as  made  by  Grart  to  take  Petersburg  by  assault.  The 
capture  of  a  large  fort  in  front  of  Burnside's  corps  (Ninth), 
if  carried,  would  admit  the  assailants  within  the  enemy's 
works.  A  mine  had  been  for  some  time  constructing  under 
Colonel  Pleasants,  of  the  Forty-eighth  Pennsylvania,  whose 
men  were  inostly  miners.  The  mine  was  made  with  immense 
labor,  and  was  four  and  a  half  feet  high,  four  feet  wide,  and 
ran  directly  under  the  fort,  which  it  was  determined  to  blow 
up,  after  which  a  rush  was  to  be  made  into  the  breach  under 
cover  of  a  powerful  artillery  fire.  The  30th  of  August  was 
the  day  fixed  for  the  explosion,  and  General  Grant,  to  secure 
success,  made  a  strong  demonstration  north  of  the  James  in 
order  to  draw  the  rebel  force  from  the  real  point  at  which 
the  attack  was  to  be  made.  Accordingly,  ©n  the  26th,  Kautz'a 
cavalry,  two  divisions  of  the  cavalry  corps,  and  the  Second 
corps  crossed  the  James  to  join  the  forces  of  General  Butler, 
on  the  north  side,  and  during  the  next  day,  the  enemy  were 
driven  from  an  intrenched  position,  and  suffered  the  loss  of 
four  guns.  On  the  28th,  the  Union  lines  extended  from 
Deep  Bottom  to  New  Market  road,  and  on  this  day  vhe 
enemy  made  an  attack  in  heavy  force,  by  which  both  sides 
lost  considerably.  The  large  force  thrown  over  by  the 
enemy  caused  the  first  object  of  the  movement  to  fail,  and 
Grant  now  determined  to  assault  Petersburg  before  the 
enemy's  force  could  return.  On  the  night  of  the  28th, 
therefore,  one  division  of  the  Second  corps  was  withdrawn 
and  moved  to  relieve  the  Eighteenth  corps  in  order  that  it 
might  be  prepared  for  the  assault.  The  other  two  divisions 
of  the  Second  corps,  and  the  cavalry  lately  under  Sheridan, 
were  crossed  over  on  the  night  of  the  29th,  and  moved  in 
front  of  Petersburg. 

On  the  29th  of  August,  at  midnight,  the  Ninth  coips  was 
massed  in  front  of  the  mine,  ready  when  it  exploded  to  make 
the  assault.  Three-and-a-half  o'clock  A.  M.,  was  the  appointed 
hour  for  lighting  the  train,  but  the  fuse  went  out,  and  day- 
light found  the  troops  still  waiting.  The  fuse  was  re-lighted, 
and  the  explosion  took  place  at  sunrise,  blowing  up  the  fort 
and  those  within  it,  and  opening  a  gap  fifty  feet  wide,  by 
which  Ledlie's  division  with  Marshall's  brigade  in  the 
advance,  and  the  Fourteenth  New  York  heavy,  artillery  at 
once  entered ;  100  cannon  now  played  on  the  rebel  batteries, 


4W  FAILURE   OF  THE   ASSAULT. 

and  the  Confederates,  quickly  recovering  from  their  surprise 
attacked  the  storming  party  with  their  artillery.  Hartranft's 
and  Griff  a's  brigades  spread  out  on  the  right  and  left,  sur- 
rounding the  flanking  rifle  pits.  All  "promised  well.  The 
troops  hdted  to  dig  out  the  wounded,  and  throw  up  breast- 
works, and  this  gave  the  enemy  time  to  train  their  guns,  which 
poured  a  most  destructive  fire  on  the  assailants.  The  troops 
oi  Ledlie,  Potter,  Wilcox,  Marshall  and  Bartlett,  reached 
the  side  of  the  crest,  and  there  halted,  although  u^ider  a 
ceaseless  stream  of  fire.  Ferrero's  division  of  colored  troops 
was  now  sent  in  and  made  a  vigorous  charge,  but  recoiled 
and  sought  the  shelter  of  the  ruins  which  were  now  stormed 
by  shot  and  shell.  At  noon  a  general  retreat  was  made.  The 
Union  loss  in  this  assault  was  four  thousand ;  that  of  the 
enemy  fourteen  hundred.  After  this  unsuccessful  attempt, 
General  Burnside  was  relieved  of  his  command. 

Meanwhile,  Farragut  was  preparing  for  his  grand  attack 
on  Mobile,  and  Charleston  was  assaulted  by  the  Union  bat- 
teries. The  iron-clads  and  land  forces  at  the  latter  point 
failed  in  an  attempt  to  gain  possession  of  James  Island. 
The  President,  on  the  18th  of  July,  called  for  five  hundred 
thousand  additional  troops.  Almost  every  one  who  waa 
drafted  endeavored  to  procure  a  substitute ;  great  bounties 
were  paid,  and  many  physically  unfitted  for  a  campaign  were 
often  forced  on  the  Government.  There  were  some  peace 
negotiations  during  this  mouth  by  unauthorized  individuals, 
of  which  it  is  necessary  to  make  allusion,  but  a  description 
of  them  is  superfluous. 

In  the  beginning  of  August,  1864,  Admiral  Farragut 
determined  to  capture  the  powerful  forts,  Morgan  and  Gaines, 
at  the  entrance  of  Mobile  harbor.  The  first  of  these  com- 
manded the  two  channels  to  the  east,  the  latter  the  one  on 
the  west.  In  the  direction  of  the  city,  beyond  the  forts, 
piles  obstructed  the  channel,  and  the  bay  contained  several 
rebel  steamers,  and  the  powerful  iron-clad  ram  Tennessee. 
General  Granger,  who  had  been  sent  from  New  Orleans  in 
July  to  aid  Furragut  with  his  forces,  held  a  consultation 
with  the  admiral  on  August  1st,  on  board  the  flag-ship 
Hartford,  and  appointed  the  4th  for  the  combined  assaun 
of  the  land  and  naval  forces.  The  land  forces,  five  thousand 
strong,  were  landed  on  Dauphin  Island  in  the  rear  of  Fort 
Gaines,  and  the  Tecumseh,  which  was  awaited,  having  now 


«BAXD   NAVAL   ACTION   AT  MOBILE. 

•i  rived,  on  the  morning  of  the  5th,  the  fleet,  consist!  ig  of 
tvelve  wooden  vessels  and  four  iron-dads,  moved  toward 
the  entrance  of  the  bay. 

The  iron-clads  were  already  inside  the  bar,  and  were 
ordered  to  take  up  a  position  between  the  wooden  vessels 
in'3  Fort  Morgan,  and  engage  the  water  battery  and  parapet 
gans  of  the  fort,  and  also  the  rebel  ram  Tennessee.  The 
wooden  vessels  were  abreast,  two  lashed  together.  The 
Brooklyn,  Captain  James  Alden,  led  the  fleet,  and  next  came 
the  flag-ship  Hartford.  The  Tecumseh  fired  the  first  gun, 
about  seven  A.  M.,  and  in  twenty  minutes  the  fort  opened 
fire,  to  which  the  Brooklyn  replied  with  her  two  hundred 
pounder  Parrott  gims,  and  the  battle  began.  The  rebel  iron- 
clads and  ram  lay  under  the  guns  of  the  fort,  and  directed 
their  fire  at  the  wooden  vessels.  The  Brooklyn  saw  some 
buoys,  which  indicated  that  there  were  torpedoes  in  danger- 
ous proximity,  and  came  to  a  halt,  the  other  vessels  doing 
likewise.  Farragut  stood  lashed  to  the  main  top  of  the 
Hartford,  and  could  see  every  thing.  Looking  anxiously 
about  him,  he  saw  the  turrets  of  the  Tecumseh  sinking 
under  water,  going  down  with  her  brave  crew.  Having 
first  ordered  the  Metacomet  to  send  a  boat  to  save  any  of 
the  crew  of  the  ill-fated  vessel  who  might  be  struggling  in 
the  water,  the  admiral  steamed  on  with  the  Hartford,  and 
led  the  fleet.  It  was  a  perilous  way ;  the  torpedoes  lined 
the  channel,  but  the  gallant  men  worked  their  guns  coolly, 
and  with  such  effect,  that  some  of  the  rebel  batteries  were 
silenced,  and  before  eight  A.  M.,  the  fort  was  passed.  The 
ram  now  dashed  out.,«but  Farragut  passed  on  toward  the 
rebel  gunboats,  Morgan,  Gaines,  and  Selma ;  the  last  of  these 
causing  great  havoc  among  his  crew.  The  Metacomet  went 
in  chase  of  these  boats.  The  Gaines  was  so  much  injured, 
that  she  was  run  ashore  and  destroyed ;  the  Morgan  left  the 
Selma,  and  the  latter  being  unsupported,  soon  struck  her 
flag.  The  vessels  were  past  the  batteries,  and  came  to 
anchor,  but  the  decks  were  scarcely  cleared,  and  the  wounded 
not  yet  cared  for,  when  the  ram  Tennessee  bore  down  upon 
the  fleet.  Farragut  signalled  the  vessels  to  run  her  down, 
and  ordered  the  pilot  to  rush  the  Hartford  against  her  with 
a  full  head  of  steam.  The  Monongahela  first  struck  the 
ram,  and  bore  awa^  her  iron  prow  and  cut- water ;  the  Lack- 
iwana  sustained  grsat  injury  in  her  attack  but  effected  no 


453         SURRENDER   OF   FORTS   OAINES  AND   MORGAN. 

damage  to  the  ram  by  her  heavy  blow;  and  the  Hartford 
came  clown  next,  but  the  ram  avoided  the  stroke,  and  the  nine 
inch  solid  balls,  impelled  by  thirteen  pounds  of  powder,  at 
ten  leet  distance,  glanced  off  her  mailed  sides  like  play- 
things. The  Hartford  was  much  injured  by  the  one  hundred 
and  fifty  pound  shells  of  the  ram,  and  several  of  her  crew 
rero  killed  and  wounded.  She  now  stood  off,  and  making 
i  oirouit  to  strike  the  ram,  was  accidentally  struck  by  tb.5 
[/ackgwrana,  and  received  a  blow  intended  for  her  adversary, 
whisl  cut  her  down  within  two  feet  of  the  water.  The 
Chickasaw,  Manhattan,  Ossipee,  Monongahela,  and  Lacka- 
wanna  now  bore  down  on  the  ram,  and,  threatened  on  all 
sides  with  destruction,  she  struck  her  flag.  The  fight  ended 
a  little  after  ten  o'clock,  and  Farragut  anchored  his  vessels 
four  miles  from  Fort  Morgan.  Admiral  Buchanan,  who 
commanded  the  ram,  was  wounded,  and  his  injured  leg 
amputated ;  ten  of  his  crew  were  killed  or  wounded.  On 
board  the  Union  fleet,  two  hundred  and  twenty-two  were 
killed  and  wounded. 

The  day  after  the  battle,  Fort  Gaines  was  surrendered,  and 
General  Granger  began  operations  against  Fort  Morgan. 
On  the  morning  of  the  22d,  the  land  forces  and  fleet  were 
ready  for  the  assault.  A  fierce  bombardment  took  place, 
and  at  twilight  the  fort  took  fire.  At  six  A.  M.  the  next 
day,  a  heavy  explosion  was  heard,  and  a  flag  of  truce  from 
the  fort  appeared,  with  offers  of  surrender.  General  Page, 
in  his  anger  and  mortification,  was  found  to  have  spiked 
most  of  the  guns,  and  destroyed  the  ammunition  and  pro- 
visions of  the  fort.  The  outer  defends  of  Mobile  were  now 
taken,  but  the  water  was  shallow,  and  the  city  could  only  be 
reached  by  a  land  force. 

In  the  latter  end  of  August,  the  Niagara  captured  th^ 
rebel  privateer  Japan  or  Georgia,  off  the  coast  of  Europe ; 
ihe  was  sailing  under  the  British  flag,  and  had  been  char- 
tered by  the  Portuguese  Government. 

The  Army  of  the  Potomac,  in  the  meanwhile,  had  met 
with  severe  fighting,  heavy  losses,  and  no  substantial  suc- 
cess. General  Grant,  however,  had  long  demonstrated  to 
Lee  that  he  was  a  powerful  antagonist,  of  unboundjed  re- 
sources, who  would  not  let  his  adversary  rest  a  moment. 
The  enemy,  on  the  5th,  sprung  a  mine  in  front  of  th* 
Eighteenth  corps,  but  it  had  no  effect 


WARREN'S  FIGHT  FOR  THE  WELDON  RAILROAD.    459 

Below  Fort  Darling,  the  James  river  makes  a  bend,  and 
encloses  the  peninsula  of  Farrar  Island,  the  neck  of  which  is 
only  half  a  mile  across  to  the  main  land.  On  this  peninsula, 
General  Butler  constructed  the  Dutch  Gap  Canal,  with  great 
labor,  and  under  the  fire  of  the  enemy's  guns,  but  the  enter- 
prise proved  a  failure. 

Grant  was  now  informed  that  the  enemy  had  detached 
three  divisions  from  Petersburg  to  reinforce  Early.  He 
says,  "I  therefore  sent  the  Second  corps,  and  Gregg's  division 
of  cavalry,  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  and.  a  force  of 
General  Butler's  army,  on  the  night  of  the  13th  of  August, 
to  threaten  Richmond  from  the  north  side  of  the  James,  to 
prevent  him  from  sending  troops  away,  and  if  possible  to 
draw  back  those  sent.  In  this  move,  we  captured  six  pieces 
of  artillery,  and  several  hundred  prisoners,  detained  troops 
that  were  under  marching  orders,  and  ascertained  that  but 
one  division  (Kershaw's)  of  the  three  reputed  detached,  had 
gone.  The  enemy  having  withdrawn  heavily  from  Peters- 
burg to  resist  this  movement,  the  Fifth  corps,  General 
Warren  commanding,  was  moved  out  on  the  18th  and  took 
possession  of  the  Weldon  railroad." 

On  the  19th,  Hill,  with  two  divisions,  made  a  desperate 
attack  on  the  Fifth  corps,  and  a  portion  of  the  army  was 
overcome.  Misfortune  threatened,  but  the  troops  rallying 
regained,  by  a  gallant  charge,  the  ground  which  they  had 
lost,  repulsing  the  foe,  and  captured  many  prisoners.  The 
battle  ended  at  night.  The  Union  loss  was  nearly  four 
thousand,  and  that  of  the  enemy  was  estimated  to  be  about 
the  same  number.  A  few  days  afterward,  the  rebels  made 
another  attack  on  Warren,  but  were  driven  back  with  much 
loss,  including  Generals  Sanders  and  Lamar  killed.  As 
Warren  advanced  his  lines  toward  the  city,  the  Second  corpa 
destroyed  the  railroad  in  his  rear. 

On  the  25th,  General  Hancock's  corps  was  attacked  at 
Jleam's  Station.  At  half  past  three  P.  if.,  the  enemy  suddenly 
massed  on  Miles  and  Gibbon,  and  rushed  on  with  fixed 
bayonets.  The  heavy  artillery  fire,  and  volleys  of  musketry 
could  not  check  them  until  within  twenty  paces  of  the  Union 
line,  when  they  recoiled.  They  made  repeated  charges 
afterward,  but  were  still  repulsed.  They  brought  up  their 
batteries,  and  attacked  the  Union  lines  for  some  time,  and 
then  suddenly  sprang  forward  to  the  breastworks,  and  fore- 


IN   THE    SHENANDOAH    VALL*Y. 

ing  back  General  Miles,  captured  several  pieces  of  artillery 
Some  of  Gibbon's  troops  went  to  the  aid  of  Miles,  when 
Wade  Hampton  attacked  Gibbon  with  his  dismounted 
cavalry,  and  carried  his  works.  In  a  desperate  fight,  in 
which  several  regiments  were  almost  destroyed,  the  impetu- 
ous onset  could  not  be  arrested.  Night  parted  the  combat- 
tants,  and  Hancock  left  Ream's  Station  in  the  hands  of  the 
enemy.  The  Union  loss,  in  this  disaster,  was  throe  thousand 
five  hundred  men,  seven  colors,  and  five  guns  ;  the  enemy's 
V>S3  was  also  very  great,  but  has  not  been  well  ascertained. 
This  battle  gave  the  enemy  possession  of  the  Weldon  rail- 
road at  Ream's  Station,  ten  miles  from  Petersburg.  Several 
weeks  now  elapsed,  during  which  no  active  operations  took 
place. 

The  eyes  of  the  country  were  fixed  on  Sheridan,  in  the 
Shenandoah  valley ;  he  commanded  the  Sixth,  Eighth,  and 
part  of  the  Nineteenth  corps,  the  old  Army  of  the  Kanawha 
under  Crook,  Torbett's  and  Averill's  cavalry  divisions, 
Kelly's  command,  and  Sewell's  brigade.  A  few  days  after 
assuming  the  command,  the  Second  cavalry  division,  under 
Wilson,  was  added  to  his  forces.  The  Confederate  force 
numbered  twenty  thousand  men,  and  on  the  approach  of 
Sheridan,  on  the  10th,  fell  back  to  Strasburg.  Skirmish- 
ing, but  no  action  of  importance  occurred,  though  some 
loss  resulted.  Early  made  a  stand  at  Newtow!?.  in  order  to 
protect  his  trains,  and  repulsed  a  charge  of  cavalry.  Re- 
treating, he  evacuated  Winchester,  and  on  the  13th,  formed 
his  encampment  at  Cedar  creek,  near  Strasburg.  On  the 
15th,  he  took  a  commanding  position  at  Fisher's  Hill.  In 
his  advance,  Sheridan  had  not  sufficient  troops  to  guard  the 
gaps,  and  Mosby  rushing  through  Snicker's  Gap,  fell  on  his 
supply  train  at  Berryville,  destroyed  seventy -two  wagons, 
and  took  two  hundred  prisoners,  six  hundred  horses  and 
mules,  and  a  large  quantity  of  stores.  Sheridan  now 
retreated  toward  the  Potomac,  destroying  every  thing  in  hia 
route  that  could  sustain  the  enemy,  and  driving  the  live 
stock  before  him.  In  retaliation  for  the  murders  committed 
by  Mosby's  guerillas,  the  cavalry  burned  the  houses  of  sus- 
pected persons.  Sheridan  left  the  country  black  with 
smoking  ruins.  He  now  fell  back  through  Winchester  to 
Charlestown,  whel  3  Early  made  an  attack,  in  which  Wilson'* 
cavalry  suffered  a  heavy  loss.  In  a  conflict  from  ten  A.  if 


SHKRTDAN'S  MOVEMENTS  EXPLAINED  BY  GRANT.   461 

tmtil  dark,  the  Sixth  corps  sustained  the  attacks  of  the 
enemy,  and  then  retired  to  Bolivar  Heights,  where  the  army 
lay,  with  its  right  on  the  Potomac,  and  its  left  on  the 
Shenandoah. 

The  two  armies  lay  near  each  other  for  a  few  days,  after 
which  Early  fell  back  up  the  valley,  and  was  in  turn  pur- 
sued by  Sheridan.  Moving  on  in  line  of  battle  toward 
Charleston,  on  the  28th.  the  troops  passed  their  old  battle 
ground.  On  the  29th,  General  Merritt  attacking,  drove  the 
rebel  cavalry  through  Smithfield,  and  beyond  the  Opequan. 
Here  their  infantry  were  met,  and  Sheridan  returned  to 
Charlestown,  where  he  remained  till  the  3d  of  September. 
On  this  day  he  again  advanced,  and  repulsed  an  attack  of 
the  enemy  at  Berryville.  He  then  erected  breastworks,  and 
remained  comparatively  quiet  for  two  weeks,  occasionally 
sending  out  cavalry  reconnoissances. 

Little  had  been  effected  in  this  campaign,  and  the  public, 
lisappointed,  began  to  think  that  Sheridan  was  unequal  to 
ais  situation ;  but  Grant  set  the  matter  at  rest  in  his  report, 
"  His  operations,  during  the  month  of  August  and  the  first 
part  of  September,  were  both  of  an  offensive  and  defensive 
character,  resulting  in  many  severe  skirmishes,  principally 
by  the  cavalry,  in  which  we  were  generally  successful ;  but 
no  general  engagement  took  place.  The  two  armies  lay  in 
such  a  position — the  enemy  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Ope- 
quan creek  covering  Winchester,  and  our  lines  in  front  of 
Berryville — that  either  could  bring  on  a  battle  at  any  time. 
Defeat  to  us  would  lay  open  to  the  enemy  the  States  of 
Maryland  and  Pennsylvania  for  long  distances,  before 
another  army  could  be  interposed  to  check  him;  undef 
these  circumstances,  I  hesitated  about  allowing  the  initia- 
tive to  be  taken.  Finally,  the  use  of  the  Baltimore  and 
Ohio  railroad,  and  the  Chesapeake  and  Ohio  canal,  whicb 
were  both  obstructed  by  the  enemy,  became  so  indispensa- 
bly necessary  to  us,  and  the  importance  of  relieving  Penn- 
sylvania and  Maryland  from  continually  threatened  invasion 
so  great,  that  I  determined  the  risk  should  be  taken.  But 
fearing  to  telegraph  for  an  attack  without  knowing  more 
than  I  did  of  General  Sheridan's  feelings  as  to  what  would 
be  the  probable  result,  I  left  City  Point  on  the  loth  of  Sep 
tember,  to  visit  him  at  his  head-quarters,  to  decide,  after 
conference  with  him  what  should  be  done.  I  met  him  at 


2     BATTLES  OF  OPEQUAtf  CREEK  AND  FISHER'S  HILL. 

Charlestown,  and  he  pointed  out  so  distinctly  how  each  army 
lay,  and  what  he  could  do  the  moment  he  was  authorized, 
and  expressed  such  confidence  of  success,  that  I  saw  there 
were  but  two  words  necessary — go  in  /" 

Sheridan  exulted  in  that  he  was  free  to  "  go  in,"  and 
quickly  put  an  end  to  the  Fabian  policy,  so  galling  to  his 
active  spirit.  On  Sunday,  the  18th  of  September,  tht* 
troops  were  placed  under  arms,  with  orders  to  be  ready  at 
a  moment's  notice,  and  at  three  o'clock  on  Monday  morning 
they  were  in  motion.  At  three  P.  M.  the  line  of  battle  was 
drawn  up  in  front  ot  the  enemy's  position  on  Opequan 
creek,  and  on  the  arrival  of  Torbert's  cavalry,  Sheridan 
ordered  an  advance  of  the  whole  line.  The  artillery  at  the 
same  time  opened  fire.  The  rebels  held  their  strong  posi- 
tion stubbornly  until  the  powerful  squadrons  of  Averill  and 
Merritt  bore  down  upon  them  in  a  headlong  charge,  causing 
them  to  break  in  disorder,  and  flee  in  utter  rout  toward 
Winchester,  and  through  it  to  Fisher's  Hill.  The  dead  and 
three  thousand  prisoners  were  left  behind,  with  five  guns 
and  nine  battle  flags.  Several  rebel  generals  were  killed, 
and  on  the  Union  side  fell  the  lamented  General  Russell, 
commander  of  the  Sixth  corps.  Sheridan  followed  up  the 
enemy,  on  the  21st,  to  their  strong  position  at  Fisher's 
Hill.  Forming  his  troops,  he  suddenly  and  with  great  fury 
attacked  their  lines,  broke  and  drove  them  in  rout  to 
Woodstock,  with  the  loss  of  eleven  hundred  prisoners,  and 
six  pieces  of  artillery.  Wagons,  muskets,  knapsacks,  and 
all  that  impeded  flight,  strewed  the  road  for  four  miles. 
Sheridan  then  moved  on  Woodstock,  and  halted  until  his 
supplies  arrived. 

Averill  pursued  the  fugitives  to  Mount  Jackson,  where 
Early  again  made  a  stand,  but  on  the  arrival  of  Sheiidan, 
retreated,  disputing  every  inch  of  the  way.  At  last,  having 
arrived  at  Brown's  Gap,  in  the  Blue  Ridge,  eight  miles 
southeast  of  Port  Republic,  he  made  a  determined  stand. 
Torbert,  in  the  meantime,  moved  on  Staunton  and  Waynes 
boro,  destroying  the  property  of  the  rebel  Government,  tl»e 
bridges,  and  all  that  could  aid  the  enemy.  On  Sheridan's 
arrival  at  Biown's  Gap,  he  found  the  place  too  strong  to  be 
carried  by  assault.  It  laid  his  flank  open  to  attack  in  case 
of  his  advance  on  the  coveted  position  of  Lynchbur& — the 
goal  of  his  hopes — but  no  further  progress  could  b 


SHERIDAN   RETIRES — HIS   REPORT.  465 

until  thj  rebels  were  driven  from  this  gap,  while  the*  Union 
supplies  in  the  rear  were  endangered  by  Mosby.  Sheridan 
determined,  therefore,  to  fall  back,  having  in  the  two  battles 
and  on  the  late  retreat^  inflicted  upon  Early  the  loss  of  nearly 
half  his  entire  force. 

Sheridan  now  took  up  a  position  on  the  north  side  of 
Cedar  creek,  near  Strasburg,  having,  on  his  march  thither 
a.§  well  as  on  his  advance,  ravaged  the  country,  as  seen  ii 
his  report,  dated  at  Woodstock,  October  7th,  1864. 

"I. have  the  honor  to  report  my  command  at  this  point 
tonight.  I  commenced  moving  back  from  Port  Republic, 
Mount  Crawford,  and  Harrisonburg  yesterday  morning. 
The  grain  and  forage  in  advance  of  these  points  had  previ- 
ously been  destroyed.  In  moving  back  to  this  point,  the 
whole  country  frpm  the  Blue  Ridge  to  the  North  Mountain 
has  been  made  untenable  for  a  rebel  army.  I  l«ave 
destroyed  over  two  thousand  barns  filled  with  wheat  and 
hay  and  farming  implements,  over  seventy  mills  filled  with 
flour  and  wheat ;  have  driven  in  front  of  the  army  over 
four  thousand  head  of  stock,  and  have  killed  and  issued  to 
the  troops  not  less  than  three  thousand  sheep.  This .  de- 
struction embraces  the  Luray  valley  as  well  as  the  uain 
valley.  A  large  number  of  horses  have  been  obtained,  a 
proper  estimate  of  which  I  cannot  now  make.  Lieutenant 
John  R.  Meigs,  my  engineer  officer,  was  murdered  beyond 
Harrisonburg,  near  Dayton.  For  this  atrocious  act,  all  the 
houses  within  an  area  of  five  miles  were  burned.  Since  I 
came  into  the  valley  from  Harper's  Ferry,  every  train, 
every  small  party,  and  every  straggler,  has  been  bush- 
whacked by  the  people,  many  of  whom  have  protection 
passes  from  commanders  who  have  been  hitherto  in  that 
valley.  The  people  here  are  getting  sick  of  the  war. 
Heretofore,  they  have  had  no  reason  to  complain,  because 
they  have  been  living  in  great  abundance.  I  have  not  been 
followed  by  the  enemy  to  this  point,  with  the  exception  of  a 
small  force  of  the  rebel  cavalry  that  showed  themselves  some 
distance  behir.d  my  rear-guard  to-day.  A  party  of  one  hun- 
dred of  the  Eighth  Ohio  cavalry,  which  I  had  stationed  at  the 
bridge  over  the  North  Shenandoah,  near  Mount  Jackson, 
was  attacked  by  McNiel  with  seventeen  men,  while  they 
were  asleep,  and  the  whole  party  dispersed  or  captured.  I 
think  they  will  all  turn  up.  I  learned  that  fifty-six  of 


464   CHANT'S  SUDDEN  MOVEMENT  UP  THE  JAMKS. 

them  nsd  reached  Winchester.  McNiel  was  mortally 
wounded,  and  fell  into  our  hands.  This  was  fortunate,  as 
he  was  the  most  daring  and  dangerous  of  all  the  bush 
whackers  in  this  section  of  the  country." 

On  the  9th  of  October,  General  Rosser  attacked  Sheridan 
on  his  retreat,  but  the  latter  defeated  him  with  the  loss  of 
three  hundred  and  fifty  prisoners  and  eleven  pieces  of  artil 
lery.  The  Union  commander,  now  deeming  the  enemy 
sufficiently  punish  3d,  refrained  from  hostilities  for  a  time, 
and  made  a  short  visit  to  Washington. 

About  this  time,  General  Grant  made  a  sudden  movement 
up  the  James,  which  is  best  described  ir.  his  own  words : — 
"  By  the  12th  of  September,  a  branch  railroad  was  completed 
from  the  City  Point  and  Petersburg  railroad  to  the  Weldon 
railroad,  enabling  us  to  supply,  without"  difficulty,  in  all 
weather,  the  army  in  front  of  Petersburg.  The  extension 
of  our  lines  across  the  Weldon  railroad,  compelled  the  ene- 
m)  so  to  extend  his,  that  it  seemed  he  could  have  but  a  few 
troops  north  of  the  James  for  the  defence  of  Richmond.  On 
tht  night  of  the  28th,  the  Tenth  corps,  Major-general  Bir- 
ney  and  the  Eighteenth  corps,  Major-general  Ord  command- 
ing, of  General  Butler's  army,  were  crossed  to  the  north  side 
of  tne  James,  and  advanced  on  the  morning  of  the  29th, 
cany  ing  the  very  strong  fortifications  and  intrenchments 
Ixilow  Chapin's  Farm,  known  as  Fort  Harrison,  capturing 
fifteen  pieces  of  artillery,  and  the  New  Market  road  and  in- 
tretichments.  This  success  was  followed  up  by  a  gallant 
assault  upon  Fort  Gilmore,  immediately  in  front  of  the  Cha- 
pin:d  Farm  fortifications,  in  which  we  were  repulsed  with 
heavy  loss.  Kautz's  cavalry  was  pushed  forward  on  the 
road  to  the  right  of  this,  supported  by  infantry,  aiid  reached 
tht>  enemy's  inner  line,  but  was  unable  to  get  further.  The 
position  captured  from  the  enemy  was  so  threatening  to 
Richmond,  that  I  determined  to  hold  it.  The  enemy  made 
several  desperate  attempts  to  dislodge  us,  all  of  which  were 
unsuccessful,  and  for  which  he  paid  dearly.  On  the  morn- 
ing of  the  30th,  General  Meade  sent  out  a  reconnoissance, 
with  a  view  to  attacking  the  enemy's  line,  if  it  was  found 
sufficiently  weakened  by  withdrawal  of  troops  to  the  north 
side.  In  this  reconnoissance,  we  captured  and  held  the  ene- 
my's works  near  Poplar  Spring  Church.  In  the  afternoon 
troops  moving  to  get  to  the  left  of  the  point  gained,  were 


BABLT'S   ATTACK   IN   SHERIDAN'S   ABSENCE.  465 

attacked  by  the  enemy  in  heavy  force,  and  compelled  to  fall 
back  until  supported  by  the  forces  holding  the  captured 
works.  Our  cavalry,  under  Gregg,  was  also  attacked,  but 
repulsed  the  enemy  with  great  loss." 

On  the  19th,  Wade  Hampton,  with  W.  F.  H.  Lee's  caval- 
ry division,  and  two  other  brigades,  made  an  attack,  near 
Coggin's  Point,  upon  two  cavalry  regiments,  which  were 
guarding  two  thousand  cattle  intended  for  Grant's  army 
and  succeeded  in  carrying  off  the  cattle,  together  with  some 
prisoners. 

The  army  of  Sheridan  was  posted  on  three  hills,  rising 
one  behind'  the  other ;  the  first,  some  five  miles  north  of 
Fisher's  Hill,  was  occupied  by  the  Army  of  Virginia,  com- 
manded by  Crook ;  the  second,  half  a  mile  behind,  by  Em- 
ory, with  the  Nineteenth  corps ;  and  the  third,  further  back, 
was  held  by  the  Sixth  corps,  with  Torbert's  cavalry  on  ita 
left  flank.  Sheridan  being  now  in  Washington,  Early 
deemed  the  time  propitious  for  an  attack.  Accordingly, 
having  been  reinforced  by  twelve  thousand  men,  on  the  night 
of  the  18th  of  October,  he  moved  in  five  columns  across  the 
mountains  which  intervene  between  the  branches  of  the 
Shenandoah,  and  fording  the  northern  fork,  advanced  in  fog 
and  darkness,  with  silence  and  secrecy,  in  order  to  avoid 
discovery.  It  was  a  perilous  enterprise,  but  he  knew  the  place 
well,  and  his  army  was  now  over  twenty  thousand  strong. 
The  Union  camp  was  quiet,  as  no' danger  was  apprehended. 
The  sound  of  firing,  and  a  rustling  tread  through  the 
underbrush,  had  been  reported  by  the  pickets,  and  some 
precautions  were  taken,  but  no  reconnoissance  was  sent  out, 
as  an  attack  on  the  part  of  the  enemy  was  not  apprehended. 

Early  moved  off  toward  the  Union  left  at  two  A.  M.,  and 
pushing  on  through  the  gloom,  brought  up  his  troops  at 
daylight  within  six  hundred  yards  of  the  Union  camp. 
Crook's  command  was  on  the  point  of  going  out  on  a  recon- 
naissance, when  ten  thousand  men  sprang  forward  with  a 
yell,  and  poured  in  a  volley.  Then  arose  a  complete  panics 
In  the  oiidst  of  the  confusion,  bugles  sounded,  drums  rat- 
tled, and  bsfore  the  troops  could  rush  to  arms,  the  enemy 
were  upon  them,  sweeping  over  the  hill  and  into  the  breast- 
works. In  a  few  minutes,  the  army  of  Crook  was  completely 
routed,  and  the  enemy  now  advanced  on  the  Nineteenth 
oorps ;  it  had  little  time  to  prepare,  and  the  foe  moviag  rap 


466  RO'JT   OF   THE   ARMY — SHERIDAN'S   RETUBN. 

idly  down  the  road  which  lay  between  it  and  the  Sixth 
corps,  turned  the  captured  guns  on  the  troops,  and  enfiladed 
the  whole  line.  General  W right  formed  a  new  line  of  bat- 
tle, and  endeavored  to  arre'st  the  rush  of  the  fugitives.  The 
rebels  were  now  more  cautious,  and  brought  up  their  artil- 
lery, while  many  of  them  were  engaged  in  plundering  th« 
camp.  Wright,  unaware  of  this,  and  fearing  lest  thf 
communication  with  Winchester  would  be  cut  off,  fell  back 
toward  Middletown,  after  repulsing  a  charge  of  the  enemy. 
This  gave  him  time  to  cover  the  retreat  of  the  fugitives,  who 
swarmed  around,  hotly  pursued  by  the  yelling  foe,  amid 
the  crash  of  musketry,  and  the  booming  of  artillery.  The 
rebels  kept  up  a  murderous  fire  on  the  left  flank,  and  Ous- 
ter and  Merritt  engaged  them  in  a  severe  conflict  in  a  wooded 
field  near  Middletown.  The  artillery  which  had  been  cap- 
tured, gave  the  enemy  so  much  strength,  that  the  Federal 
left  wing,  being  hardly  pressed,  could  make  but  a  brief  stand, 
and  the  army,  passing  through  Middletown,  fell  back  five 
miles  toward  Newtown.  A  dreadful  fire  from  the  heights 
Bwept  the  army  in  its  retreat. 

Sheridan  was  on  his  return,  and  had  slept  the  night  before 
at  Winchester,  twenty  miles  distant,  little  apprehending  that 
nis  troops  were  in  such  imminent  peril.  His  fine  army  had 
struggled  for  four  hours  in  an  unequal  contest,  when  he  rode 
from  the  city  slowly  with  his  escort.  The  army  was  falling 
back  as  he  pressed  on,  and  his  surprise  was  great  when  he 
heard  the  sound  of  artillery.  He  had  no  fears,  however,  for 
his  strong  position  at  Cedar  creek.  He  soon  became  aware 
that  there  was  a  severe  action  in  progress,  and  that  his  army 
was  falling  back.  Startled  as  the  conviction  flashed  upon 
him,  he  spurred  his  charger  at  full  speed,  and  met  the  fugi- 
tives, who  informed  him  that  all  was  lost.  The  intelligence 
roused  his  spirit  within  him,  and  he  determined  to  wring 
nctory  from  the  enemy's  grasp.  Swinging  his  cap  over  his 
head,  he  cried  to  the  fugitives  who  swarmed  around,  "  Face 
the  other  way,  boys,  face  the  other  way ;  we  are  going  back 
to  our  camps ;  we  are  going  to  lick  them  out  of  their  boots  I" 
The  frightened  crowd  was  arrested,  and  shouts  from  even 
the  wounded,  rent  the  air.  Sheridan  dashed  up  on  his 
foaming  horse,  stood  before  his  surprised  troops,  and  stopped 
the  retreat.  The  pursuit  of  the  enemy  had  ceased,  and  the 
Union  troops,  now  out  ot  range  of  the  hostile  guns,  wert 


HE   ASSUMES   THE   OFFENSIVE.  467 

formed  in  line  of  battle,  and  the  fugitives  of  a  few  momenta 
before,  once  more  presented  a  firm  front  to  the  foe.  During 
two  hours,  Sheridan  rode  to  and  fro  along  the  line,  inspiring 
the  troops  with  his  sublime  courage. 

"  Boys,  if  I  had  been  here,  this  never  should  have  hap- 
pened. I  tell  you  it  never  should  have  happened.  And  now 
we  are  going  back  to  our -camps.  We  are  going  to  get  a 
twist  on  them.  We  are  going  to  lick  them  out  of  their 
boots." 

The  brave  troops,  who  had  fasted  since  the  preceding 
night,  and  had  been  fighting  for  five  hours,  cheered  with 
enthusiasm,  and  felt  invigorated  by  the  language  of  the 
heroic  Sheridan.  As  the  enemy  advanced  on  the  Nineteenth 
corps,  the  Union  commander  ordered  Emory  to  check  them, 
which  he  did  after  a  severe  conflict,  in  which  General  Bid- 
well  was  killed,  and  General  Grover  wounded.  When 
Sheridan  heard  of  the  repulse  of  the  enemy,  he  laughed,  and 
said,  "  That's  good,  that's  good ;  thank  God  for  that  1"  He 
ordered  Emory,  if  they  attacked  him  again,  "  to  punish 
them  severely."  He  brought  down  his  right  fist  into  his 
left  palm  at  almost  every  word,  and  said  emphatically: 
"  We'll  get  the  tightest  twist  on  them  you  ever  saw ;  we'll 
have  all  those  camps  and  cannon  back  again." 

The  enemy  now  fell  back,  and  threw  up  breastworks, 
doubtless  thinking  t'o  remain  there  till  next  day ;  but  Sheri- 
dan resolved  to  wipe  out  the  disgrace  of  his  troops,  then 
and  there,  and  never  allow  the  despatch  to  carry  the  news  of 
his  defeat,  without  a  compensating  victory.  The  army,  which, 
but  a  little  while  since,  fled  in  confusion  before  the  enemy, 
now,  at  three  and  a-half  o'clock,  p.  M.,  advanced  in  magnificent 
order  against  his  works.  The  enemy's  artillery,  and  a  severe 
volley  of  musketry,  rent  the  line  as  it  moved  up,  and  it  fell 
back.  Sheridan  galloped  up,  and,  restoring  the  shattered 
ranks  by  the  utmost  energy,  again  ordered  an  advance. 
A  heavy  volley,  and  the  troops  rushed  on  in  a  wild  charge ; 
with  a  triumphant  yell,  presaging  victory.  The  breast- 
works were  carried,  and  amid  the  shot  and  shell  that 
crashed  through  the  patriot  ranks,  the  fearless  chief  rode  in 
front,  and  delivered  his  own  orders  in  person  to  division  and 
corps  commanders.  Fire  flashed  from  his  eyes,  his  deter- 
mined countenance  was  an  index  of  the  soul  within,  and  hi* 
J 


468  TOTAL   DEFEAT  OF   EARLY. 

words  roused  the  gallant  troops  to  deeds  of  heroism.  They 
answered  with  shouts,  and  rushed  through  the  thickets  and 
over  the  ridges  and  walls  in  their  path,  while  the  astonished 
foe  fled  before  them.  The  bugles  now  sounded  the  thrilling 
charge  for  the  cavalry,  and  the  bold  squadrons  of  Ouster 
and  Merritt,  like  a  tempest,  swept  the  rebels  right  and  left, 
and  chased  them  pell-mell  through  the  Union  camp,  which 
they  had  occupied,  leaving  behind  the  artillery  previously 
captured,  and  also  much  of  their  own.  Their  arms,  and  all 
that  could  retard  the  flight,  were  abandoned,  and  the  tired 
infantry,  unable  to  urge  the  pursuit,  it  was  kept  up  by  the 
cavalry  through  Strasbourg  to  Fisher's  Hill  and  "Woodstock. 
The  exhausted  troops  reposed,  fasting,  in  their  pillaged  camp. 
In  the  North,  great  rejoicing  prevailed  on  account  of  this 
splendid  victory.  The  Union  loss  in  this  battle  was  over 
six  thousand  men,  that  of  the  enemy  two  thousand.  This 
disparity  between  the  losses  of  the  Unionists  and  Confeder- 
ates, was  owing  to  the  fact  that  the  former  were  at  first, 
completely  taken  by  surprise  in  their  camps,  and  hence 
great  numbers  were  slaughtered  before  any  check  could  be 
administered  to  the  foe.  There  were  some  skirmishes  and 
cavalry  actions  after  this,  but  the  enemy  finally  abandoned 
the  S'aenandoah  valley,  and  in  the  space  of  six  weeks  the 
•Sixth  corps  returned  to  General  Grant,  before  Bichnnnd. 


CHAPTER  XLV. 

OCTOBER,    1864 — JANUARY,    1865. 

»  JCOTHKR  ATTEMPT  ON  RICHMOND HATOHER*S  RUN FAILURE  TO  TURN  THl 

KKBKL  RIGHT OPERATIONS  NORTH  OP  THE  JAMES THE  RAM  ALBEMARL8 

DKSTROVKD — REBEL   RAID    ON   ST.  ALBANS,  VERMONT OPERATIONS  I» 

ARKANSAS,  KANSAS,  AND  MISSOURI — PRICE — STEELE — ROSECRANS FOR- 

RKST  CAPTURES  ATHENS — GENERAL  BURBRIDGE  SENT  TO  DESTROY  TUB 
KNKMY'S  SALT-WORKS  AT  SALTVILLF — EXPEDITION  *ROM  VICKSBURQ — 
GRIERSON'S  EXPEDITION — BRECKINRIDGE  IN  EAST  TENNESSEE — STONE- 
MAN  SENT  AGAINST  HIM — PLOT  TO  BURN  NEW  YORK — WARREN'S  EXPE- 
DITION— CAPTURE  OF  FORT  FISHER GUERILLAS — PERILOUS  SITUATION 

OF  THE  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC — PEACE  COMMISSIONERS — THEIR  INTER- 
TIKW  WITH  THE  PRESIDENT — THE  SOUTHERN  PRISONS — ANDERSONVILLE — 
WIRTZ  TRIED,  CONVICTED,  AND  EXECUTED — SHERMAN'S  PREPARATIONS 
TO  INVADE  THE  CAROLINA8. 

GENERAL  GRANT  was  indefatigable  in  his  attempts  at 
ihe  reduction  of  Richmond,  and  no  sooner  did  one  fail  than 
he  immediately  made  another.  He  now  determined  to  move 
more  heavily  on  the  enemy's  right  flank  than  heretofore, 
and  made  his  preparations  with  profound  secrecy.  All  the 
baggage  was  sent  to  City  Point ;  the  infantry  troops  were  sup- 
plied with  four  days'  rations,  and  the  cavalry  with  enough  for 
three  days'  rations,  besides  forage.  The  army  left  its  intrench- 
ments  for  Hatcher's  Run,  at  which  the  enemy  were  strongly 
posted  on  the  extreme  right.  The  rebel  force  on  the  north 
side  of  the  James  was  to  be  drawn  off  by  a  demonstration 
by  General  Butler.  The  results  of  the  movement  are  well 
described  by  General  Grant,  as  follows:  "On  the  27th 
(of  October)  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  leaving  only  suffi- 
cient to  hold  its  fortified  line,  moved  by  the  enemy's  right 
flank.  The  Second  corps,  followed  by  two  divisions  of  the 
Fifth  corps,  with  the  cavalry  in  advance,  and  covering  our 
left  flank,  forced  a  passage  of  Hatcher's  Run,  and  moved 
up  the  south  side  of  it  toward  the  Southside  railroad,  until 
the  Second  corps  and  part  of  the  cavalry  reached  the  Boyd- 
town  plank  road,  where  it  crosses  Hatcher's  Run.  At  this 
point  we  were  six  miles  distant  from  the  Southside  railroad, 
which  I  had  hoped  by  this  movement  to  reach  and  hold. 
But,  finding  that  we  had  not  reached  the  end  of  the  enemj'i 
40  (MSI 


470  GALLANTRY   OF   LIE  I/TEN  ANT  GUSHING. 

foj  tifications,  and  no  place  presenting  itself  for  a  successful 
assault,  by  which  ho  might  be  doubled  up  and  shortened,  I 
determined  to  withdraw  within  our  fortified  line.  Im 
mediately  upon  receiving  a  report  that  General  Warren 
had  connected  with  General  Hancock,  I  returned  to  my 
head-quarters.  Soon  after  I  left,  the  enemy  moved  out  acrosi 
Hatcher's  Bun,  in  the  gap  between  Generals  Hancock  anil 
Warren,  which  was  not  closed,  as  reported,  and  made  a 
desperate  attack  on  General  Hancock's  right  and  rear. 
General  Hancock  immediately  faced  his  corps  to  meet  it, 
and  after  a  bloody  combat  drove  the  enemy  within  his 
works,  and  withdrew  that  night  to  his  old  position.  In 
support  of  this  movement,  General  Butler  made  a  demon 
stration  on  the  north  side  of  the  James,  and  attacked  the 
enemy  on  the  Williamsburg  road,  and  also  on  the  York 
river  railroad.  In  the  former  he  was  unsuccessful.  In  the 
latter,  he  succeeded  in  carrying  a  work  which  was  after- 
ward abandoned,  and  his  forces  withdrawn  to  their  former 
positions.  From  this  time  forward  the  operations  in  front 
of  Petersburg  and  Richmond,  until  tue  spring  campaign  of 
1865,  were  confined  to  the  defence  and  extension  of  our 
lines,  and  to  offensive  movements  for  crippling  the  enemy's 
lines  of  communication,  and  to  prevent  his  detaching  any 
considerable  force  to  send  south." 

The  Navy  Department,  desiring  to  effect  the  destruction 
of  the  rebel  ram  Albemarle,  which  lay  at  Plymouth,  sent 
Lieutenant  Gushing  to  New  York  city  in  the  summer  to 
prepare  for  this  enterprise.  Having  constructed  a  torpedo 
boat,  he  returned  with  it  to  the  sound,  and  on  the  night  of 
the  27th  of  October,  with  a  steam  launch  and  thirteen 
officers  and  men,  proceeded  up  the  river  on  his  perilous 
enterprise.  The  ram  lay  eight  miles  from  the  mouth  of  the 
river,  which  was  narrow  and  lined  with  rebel  pickets;  a 
mile  beyond  the  ram  lay  the  wreck  of  the  Southfield.  The 
launch  now  pressed  with  a  full  head  of  steam  upon  the  ram. 
She  was  surrounded  by  a  pen  of  logs,  against  which  the 
bows  of  the  launch  were  now  directed,  while  bullets  from 
the  enemy  fell  thick.  The  torpedo  boom  was  lowered,  and 
by  a  vigorous  pull,  Gush  ing  drove  the  torpedo  under  the 
overhang  and  exploded  it.  Just  then  the  monster  fired  a 
gun,  a  shot  crashed  through  the  boat,  and  the  water  rushing 
in,  shr  was  in  a  sinking  condition.  The  boat  was  onJy  fifteen 


MCBEL    RAID   ON  ST.   ALBANS,    VEKMoNf.  471 

feet  from  the  ram,  and  the  gallant  little  band  was  fired  on. 
Gushing  nobly  refused  to  surrender,  and  divesting  himself 
of  his  coat  and  shoes,  .ordered  the  men  to  make  their  escape 
as  best  they  could,  and  plunging  into  the  stream,  swam  with 
the  current  and  reached  the  shore ;  crawling  up  the  bank, 
he  lay  until  daylight.  He  then  crept  into  a  swamp  and 
threaded  his  way  through  another,  till  he  came  to  a  oroek, 
where  he  found  the  boat  of  a  rebel  picket,  by  means  of  which 
ho  reached  a  safe  place  at  eleven  A.  M.  The  rest  of  the 
boat's  crew  were  all  killed,  captured,  or  drowned,  except  one. 
The  brave  young  officer,  Gushing,  received  much  praise 
from  the  people,  and  a  complimentary  letter  from  the  Sec- 
retary W cells.  By  this  gallant  deed,  the  Albemarle  was 
sunk  at  her  moorings,  and  the  Federal  navy  relieved  of 
many  apprehensions. 

Since  the  commencement  of  the  war,  the  Canadian  prov- 
inces had  been  the  resort  of  rebels,  who  plotted  against  the 
United  States.  It  had  been  attempted  the  year  before  to 
jiberate  twenty-fire  thousand  rebel  prisoners  on  Johnston's 
Island,  which  is  situated  on  Lake  Brie,  near  Sandusky,  Ohio. 
On  the  19th  of  this  month,  about  forty  armed  rebels  crossed 
from  Canada,  robbed  the  bank  at  St.  Albans,  Vermont,  of 
two  hundred  thousand  dollars,  and  escaped.  Part  of  this 
inoney  was  afterward  recovered,  and  the  perpetrators  of  the 
robbery  arrested  and  tried  in  Canada,  but  were  all  at  length 
discharged,  the  judges  by  whom  they  were  tried  being  sym- 
pathizers of  the  rebel  cause. 

The  two  great  armies  of  Grant  and  Sherman  now  absorbed 
all  the  attention  of  the  nation.  Apart  from  these,  there  were 
other  military  operations  in  the  West,  which  are  thus  described 
in  the  report  of  General  Grant  to  the  Secretary  of  War. 

"About  the  last  of  August,  it  being  reported  that  the 
rebel  General  Price,  with  a  force  of  about  ten  thousand  men, 
had  reached  Jacksonport,  on  his  way  to  invade  Missouri, 
General  A.  J.  Smith's  command,  then  en  route  from  Memphis 
to  join  Sherman,  was  ordered  to  Missouri.  A  cavalry  force 
was  also,  at  the  same  time,  sent  from  Memphis,  under  com- 
mand of  Colonel  Winslo\r.  This  made  General  Rosecrans' 
forces  superior  to  those  of  Price,  and  no  doubt  was  enter- 
tained that  he  would  be  ?*ble  to  check  Price,  and  drive  him 
back,  while  the  forces  of  General  Steele  in  Arkansas  would 
cut  off  his  retreat  On  the  26th  of  September,  Price 


CAPTURES   -A.THEKS. 

attacked  Pilot  Knob,  and  forced  the  garrison  to  retreat,  and 
thence  moved  north  to  the  Missouri  river,  and  continued  up 
that  river  toward  Kansas.  General  Curtis,  commanding  the 
Department  of  Kansas,  immediately  "collected  such  forces  aa 
he  could  to  repel  the  invasion  of  Kansas,  while  Rosecrans' 
cavalry  was  operating  in  his  rear.  The  enemy  was  brougbt 
to  battle  on  the  Big  Blue,  and  defeated  with  the  loss  of  nearly 
all  his  artillery  and  trains,  and  a  large  number  of  prisoner.! 
He  made  a  precipitate  retreat  to  northern  Arkansas.  The 
impunity  with  which  Price  was  enabled  to  roam  over  tho 
State  of  Missouri  for  a  long  time,  and  the  incalculable  mis 
chief  done  by  him,  shows  to  how  little  purpose  a,  superior 
force  may  be  used.  There  is  no  reason  why  General  Rose- 
crans  should  not  have  concentrated  his  forces,  and  beaten 
and  driven  Price  before  the  latter  reached  Pilot  Knob. 

"September  20th,  the  enemy's  cavalry,  under  Forrest, 
crossed  the  Tennessee,  near  "Waterloo,  Alabama,  and  on  the 
23d,  attacked  the  garrison  at  Athens,  consisting  of  six  hun- 
dred men,  which  capitulated  on  the  24th.  Soon  after  the 
surrender,  two  regiments  of  reinforcements  arrived,  and 
after  a  severe  fight,  were  compelled  to  surrender.  Forrest 
destroyed  the  railroad  westward,  captured  the  garrison  at 
Sulphur  Branch  trestle,  skirmished  with  the  garrison  at 
Pulaski  on  the  27th,  and  on  the  same  day  cut  the  Nashville 
and  Chattanooga  railroad,  near  Tullahoma  and  Dechard. 
On  the  morning  of  the  30th,  one  column  of  Forrest's  com- 
mand, under  Buford,  appeared  before  Huntsville,  and  sum- 
moned the  surrender  of  the  garrison.  Receiving  an  answer 
in  the  negative,  he  remained  in  the  vicinity  of  the  place 
until  next  morning,  when  he  again  summoned  its  surrender, 
and  received  the  same  reply  as  on  the  night  before.  He 
withdrew  in  the  direction  of  Athens,  which  place  had  been 
regarrisoned,  and  attacked  it  on  the  afternoon  of  the  1st  of 
October,  but  without  success.  On  the  morning  of  the  2d,  he 
renewed  his  attack,  but  was  handsomely  repulsed.  Anothei 
column,  under  Forrest,  appeared  before  Columbia,  on  the 
morning  of  the  1st,  but  did  not  make  an  attack.  On  the 
morning  of  the  3d,  he  made  toward  Mount  Pleasant.  While 
these  operations  were  going  on,  every  exertion  was  made  by 
General  Thomas  to  destroy  the  forces  under  Forrest,  befora 
Le  could  recross  the  Tennessee,  but  he  was  unable  to  pre 
rent  his  escape  to  Corinth,  Mississippi. 


•IPKD1TION   FROM   VICKSBURQ — GRIERSON'S   RAID.     4:73 

In  September,  an  expedition,  under  General  Burbridge, 
was  sent  to  destroy  the  salt-works  at  Saltville,  Virginia, 
He  met  the  enemy  on  the  2d  of  October,  about  three  and  a 
half  miles  from  Saltville,  and  drove  him  into  his  strongly 
intrenched  position  around  the  salt-works,  from  which  he 
iras  unable  to  dislodge  him.  During  the  night  he  withdrew 
his  comrmand,  and  returned  to  Kentucky." 

On  the  27th  of  November,  an  expedition  from  Vicksburg, 
under  command  of  General  Osborne,  sent  by  General  Canby 
to  cut  the  enemy's  communication  with  Mobile,  and  detain 
his  troops  in  that  field  of  operations,  captured  and  de- 
stroyed the  Mississippi  Central  Railroad  bridge  and  trestle- 
work  over  the  Big  Black  river,  near  Canton,  together  witi. 
thirty  miles  of  the  road,  two  locomotives,  and  a  large  quan 
tity  of  stores. 

On  the  21st  of  December,  a  cavalry  expedition,  under 
Brevet  Major-general  Grierson,  started  from  Memphis.  On 
the  25th,  he  surprised  and  captured  Forrest's  camp  at 
Verona,  Mississippi,  on  the  Mobile  and  Ohio  railroad.  He 
also  destroyed  the  railroad  and  sixteen  cars,  which  latter 
were  loaded  with  wagons  and  pontoons  for  Hood's  army, 
four  thousand  new  English  carbines,  and  a  large  quantity 
of  public  stores.  On  the  28th,  he  attacked  and  captured  a 
force  of  the  enemy  at  Egypt,  and  destroyed  a  train  of  four- 
teen cars.  Turning  southwest,  he  struck  the  Mississippi 
Central  railroad  at  Winona,  destroyed  the  factories  and 
large  amounts  of  stores  at  Bankston,  and  the  machine  shops 
and  public  property  at  Grenada,  arriving  on  the  5th  of 
January  at  Vicksburg.  Meanwhile,  the  enemy,  under  Breck- 
inridge,  entered  East  Tennessee,  and  attacked  General  Gillem 
near  Morristown,  on  the  13th  of  November,  capturing  his 
artillery  and  several  hundred  prisoners.  The  latter  retreated 
to  Knoxville,  pursued  by  Breckinridge,  who  withdrew  on 
the  18th,  followed  in  turn  by  General  Ammen.  The  com- 
mands of  Burbridge  and  Gillem  were  concentrated,  under 
Stcneman,  near  Bean's  Station,  to  operate  against  Breckin- 
ridge and  drive  him  into  Virginia,  and  destroy  the  salt- 
works at  Saltville,  and  also  the  railroad. 

On  the  12th  of  December,  Stoneman  swept  the  enemy 
from  his  path,  routed  them  at  Marion  on  the  16th,  and  pur- 
sued them  to  Wytheviile,  with  the  loss  of  their  artillery 
trains  and  one  hundred  and  ninety-eight  prisoners.  Aftei 


474  RE-ELECTION   OF   ABRAHAM    LINCOLN 

destroying  Wytheville,  with  its  gtores,  supplies,  and  the 
lead- works  in  the  vicinity,  he  was  returning  to  Marion  when 
he  met  a  force  under  Breckinridge,  which  he  pursued,  but 
the  enemy  during  the  night  escaped.  Moving  then  on  Salt- 
ville,  Stoneman  destroyed  the  extensive  salt- works  of  that 
place,  and  a  large  quantity  of  stores,  besides  capturing  eight 
pieces  of  artillery.  His  instructions  being  thus  successfully 
carried  out,  he  sent  back  General  Burbridge  to  Lexington, 
and  General  Giliem  to  Knoxville. 

In  November,  1864,  the  Presidential  election  took  place. 
The  interests  therein  involved  were  of  the  highest  importance. 
The  candidates  before  the  country  were  the  then  incum- 
bent, Abraham  Lincoln,  with  Andrew  Johnson,  of  Tennessee, 
for  Vice  President,  who  had  been  nominated  by  the  Conven- 
tion which  assembled  at  Baltimore  ;  and  General  George  B. 
McClellan,  late  commander  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac, 
with  George  H.  Pendleton,  of  Ohio,  for  Vice-President,  who 
had  received  the  nomination  of  the  Democratic  Convention 
at  Chicago.  Speculation  was  rife  as  to  who  should  be  the 
choice  of  the  nation,  although  it  was  generally  conceded 
that  the  country  would  testify  its  appreciation  of  the  noble 
and  disinterested  efforts  of  its  honored  President,  by  reelect- 
ing  him  to  the  position  which  he  had  for  four  years  so  ably 
filled.  According  to  the  platform  adopted  by  the  Chicago 
Convention,  had  General  McClellan  been  elected,  there  would 
have  been  an  entire  change  in  the  aspect  of  affairs,  and  the 
vigorous  measures  inaugurated  by  the  administration  of 
President  Lincoln,  would  have  given  way  to  concessions  to 
rebels,  and,  eventually,  a  dishonorable  peace.  The  election 
of  1864,  however  demonstrated  to  the  armed  rebels  in  the 
South,  as  well  as,  »,neir  friends  and  abettors  in  the  North 
that  the  great  masses  of  the  people  were  true  to  the  coun- 
try, and  that  they  advocated  a  vigorous  prosecution  of  the 
war  till  their  misguided  brethren  should  be  led  to  acknow- 
ledge the  supremacy  of  the  Government,  and  return  to  their 
allegiance.  Mr.  Lincoln  was  triumphantly  reelected,  re- 
ceiving the  electoral  votes  of  all  the  States  except  New 
Jersey,  Kentucky,  and  Delaware ;  and  thus  was  achieved 
»s  great  a  victory,  so  to  speak,  as  had  been  gained  during 
the  war. 

During  the  month  of  November,  also,  a  plot,  before  con- 
certed by  the  rebel  refugees  in  Canada,  to  burn  the  city  of 


WARREN'S  EXPEDITION.  476 

New  York,  was  attempted  to  be  executed.  Fires  were 
lighted  in  several  buildings,  as  many  as  seven  of  the  largest 
notels  being  on  fire  at  the  same  time;  but  the  diabolical  de- 
sign wa?  frustrated.  Captain  Kennedy,  of  the  Confederate 
service,  was,  for  his  connection  with  this  act  of  incendiarism, 
arrested,  tried,  and  executed  at  Lafayette  the  ensuing  spring. 
Beall,  a  rebel  officer,  who  in  September  destroyed  two  steam- 
boats  on  the  lakes,  was  arrested  in  December  for  attempt- 
ing to  throw  a  railroad  train  off  the  track,  and  was  hung 
on  Governor's  Island  in  the  February  following. 

On  the  20th  of  ^ovember,  the  President  called  for  three 
hundred  thousand  additional  troops.  Two  millions  and  a 
half  had  been  called  for  up  to  this  time,  but  not  near  that 
number  ever  entered  the  field.  The  army  around  Peters- 
burg was  not  unemployed,  although  no  battles  took  place 
until  the  spring  campaign.  On  the  7th  of  December, 
General  Warren,  with  twenty  thousand  men,  moved  south 
toward  Hatcher's  Bun,  reached  Bellefield  Station,  on  the 
Mohenin  river,  forty  miles'  from  Petersburg,  on  the  9th,  and 
destroyed  the  rebel  works  and  depot.  Returning,  next  day 
ne  destroyed  every  thing  in  his  way  which  could  aid  the 
enemy,  together  with  twenty  miles  of  the  Weldon  railroad. 
Wilmington  was  now  the  most  important  port  still  in  the 
hands  of  the  Confederates.  From  this  port,  cotton  and 
other  products  were  sent  out  by  blockade-runners,  which, 
in  consequence  of  the  imperfect  condition  of  the  blockade, 
brought  in  many  supplies  to  the  enemy.  The  place  was 
also  important  in  a  military  point  of  view,  and  its  capture 
was  therefore  determined  on.  General  Grant  promised  to 
furnish  the  land  force,  which  was  to  co-operate  with  the 
naval  expedition  under  Admiral  Porter,  already  assembled 
in  Hampton  Roads,  and  one  of  the  most  formidable  ever 
sent  out.  The  attention  of  the  South,  as  well  as  of  the 
loyal  North,  was  attracted  by  the  preparations,  which  were 
made  on  a  grand  scale.  The  newspapers,  both  North  and 
South,  freely  discussed  the  subject  of  the  destination  of 
this  grand  expedition,  and  the  enemy  prepared  to  meet  it. 

In  the  latter  part  of  November,  General  Grant,  in  company 
with  General  Butler,  held  a  conference  with  Admiral  Porter 
at  Hampton  Roads,  and  fixed  the  number  of  men  required 
at  six  thousand.  The  time  was  not  definitely  appointed  for 
•tarting,  but  if  not  sooner,  every  thing  was  expected  to  bf 


476  EXPEDITION    AGAINST   FORT   FISHER. 

ready  by  the  6th  of  December.  On  November  30th,  General 
Grant,  having  become  aware  that  Bragg  had  taken  with  him 
to  Georgia  the  greater  part  of  the  forces  at  Wilmington, 
deemed  it  important  that  the  expedition  should  reach  its 
destination  before  his  return.  The  land  forces,  having 
been  placed  under  the  command  of  General  Weitzel,  Grant 
directed  General  Butler  to  have  all  things  ready  for  his  de- 
parture, so  that  the  fleet  should  not  be  detained,  and  on  the 
6th  of  December,  instructed  him  that  the  first  object  of  tho 
expedition  under  Weitzel  was  to  close  the  port  of  Wilming- 
ton to  the  enemy ;  and  next  the  capture  of  the  place  itself. 
He  approved  of  all  the  directions  of  Butler,  respecting  the 
expedition,  with  the  unimportant  exception  of  the  place  of 
embarkation,  and  the  amount  of  intrenching  tools  to  be  taken. 
He  says :  "The  object  of  the  expedition  will  be  gained  by 
effecting  a  landing  on  the  main  land  between  the  Cape  Fear 
river  and  the  Atlantic,  north  of  the  north  entrance  to  the 
river.  Should  such  landing  be.  effected  while  the  enemy 
still  holds  Fort  Fisher,  and  the  batteries  guarding  the 
entrance  to  the  river,  then  the  troops  should  intrench  them- 
selves, and,  by  co-operating  with  the  navy,  effect  the  reduc- 
tion and  capture  of  those  places.  These  in  our  hands,  the 
navy  could  enter  the  harbor,  and  the  port  of  Wilmington 
would  be  sealed.  Should  Fort  Fisher  and  the  point  of  land 
on  which  it  is  built,  fall  into  the  hands  of  our  troops, 
immediately  on  landing,  then  it  would  be  worth  the  attempt 
to  capture  Wilmington  by  a  forced  march  and  surprise. 
If  time  is  consumed  in  gaining  the  first  object  of  the  expe- 
dition, the  second  will  become  a  matter  of  after  consideration. 

"  The  details  for  execution  are  entrusted  to  you  (Butler) 
and  the  officer  immediately  in  command  of  the  troops. 
Should  the  troops  under  General  Weitzel  fail  to  effect  a 
landing  at  or  near  Fort  Fisher,  they  will  be  returned  to  the 
armies  operating  against  Richmond  without  delay." 

General  Butler  was  in  command  of  the  army  from  which 
the  troops  were  taken  for  the  expedition,  and  of  the  territory 
in  which  they  were  to  operaie.  All  orders  and  instructions 
by  military  courtesy  were  sent  through  him,  and  General 
Weitzel  informed  General  Grant  that  he  had  never  seen  the 
instructions  above  quoted  till  after  the  attack  on  Fort  Fisher. 
Grant  had  no  idea,  until  the  evening  before  he  started  from 
Bermuda  Hundred,  that  Butler  would  join  the  expedition, 


QKNKKAL    BUTLEB    SUPERSEDED. 

%nd  believed  that  General  Weitzel  had  received  thts  instruc- 
tions, and  was  in  command.  The  loading  of  a  powder  boat 
detained  the  fleet  at  Hampton  Roads  several  days.  Grant 
bad  urged  on  Butler  the  importance  of  getting  off  the  expe- 
dition at  once,  wifh  or  without  the  powder  boat,  which 
latter  was  intended  to  have  been  blown  up  near  the  rebel 
fort.  However,  the  expedition  arrived  off  New  Inlet,  near 
Port  Fisher,  on  the  evening  of  the  15th,  and  Admiral  Porter 
arrived  OE  the  evening  of  the  18th ;  the  sea  was  rough,  and 
the  water  and  coal  of  the  vessels  being  nearly  exhausted, 
the  transports  put  back  to  Beaufort  to  replenish,  and  did 
not  return  till  the  24th,  on  which  day  the  powder  boat  wag 
exploded  without  inflicting  any  damage  on  the  works.  The 
landing  was  effected  on  the  25th,  unopposed,  and  General 
GUI  tig  reconnoitered  the  fort ;  a  report  of  this  reconnoissance 
had  not  been  made  before  General  Butler,  "  in  direct  viola- 
tion of  the  instructions  given,  ordered  the  re-embarkation  of 
the  troops  and  the  return  of  the  expedition."  The  troops 
re-embarked  on  the  morning  of  the  27th. 

The  fleet  of  Admiral  Porter  comprised  seventy-three 
vessels,  with  six  hundred  and  fifty-five  guns,  some  of  them  of 
the  largest  calibre.  Porter  kept  up  a  terrible  bombardment 
for  two  days,  silencing  the  fort,  which  he  affirmed  any  man 
of  energy  could  easily  have  taken.  General  Butler  was  now 
relieved  of  his  command,  and  superseded  by  Ord.  The  de- 
sign of  capturing  Fort  Fisher  was  still  determined  on  by 
General  Grant,  and  adding  to  the  army,  lately  commanded 
by  Butler,  some  fifteen  hundred  men,  he  placed  the  whole 
force  under  General  Terry,  with  instructions  similar  to  those 
before  given,  leaving  a  direct  attack  on  the  fort,  in  both 
cases,  to  the  discretion  of  the  general  in  command. 

The  expedition  left  Fortress  Monroe,  January  6th,  1865, 
arrived  off  Beaufort  on  the  8th,  was  detained  there  by  the 
state  of  the  weather  till  the  morning  of  the  12th,  and  then 
proceeding,  reached  its  destination  on  the  same  evening. 
The  disembarkation  of  the  troops  was  effected  at  half  past 
three  P.  M.  on  the  13th.  Some  reconnoissauces  were  made 
next  day,  and  possession  was  taken  of  a  small  advance  work. 

The  fleet  had  kept  up  a  dreadful  fire  on  the  fort,  and 
Sunday,  January  15th,  was  appointed  for  the  grand  naval 
assault.  It  was  made  in  three  columns,  the  first  of  which 
was  led  by  the  Brooklyn,  the  seccnd  by  the  Minnesota,  and 


478  CAPTURE   OF   FORT   FISHER. 

the  third  by  the  gunboats.  Four  hundred  guns  played  upon 
the  works  with  great  precision,  and,  at  one  time,  four  or  five 
shells  fell  every  second,  dismounting  guns,  blowing  open 
embrasures,  and  rapidly  causing  traverses  to  disappear. 
When  Terry's  troops  should  advance  from  the  land  side, 
two  thousand  marines  and  sailors  were  to  make  a  simultane 
ous  assault  on  the  sea  side.  Three  hours  before  the  assault, 
the  guns  of  the  fleet  had  driven  the  garrison  to  the  casemates. 
The  parapets  were  twenty-five  feet  thick,  twenty  feet  high, 
and  enclosed  by  a  strong  palisade ;  two  hundred  yards  be- 
yond, in  front,  was  a  line  strung  with  torpedoes,  which  were 
connected  by  wires,  eighty-five  feet  apart,  and  each  contain- 
ing one  hundred  pounds  of  powder.  The  shells  had  cut  the 
wires  connected  with  the  torpedoes,  in  the  way  of  the 
assailants,  and  part  of  the  palisade  was  broken  down.  The 
signal  was  given  at  three  o'clock,  when  Curtis,  Pennypacker, 
and  Bell  followed  with  their  troops  in  rotation,  each  of  the 
three  brigades  being  three  hundred  yards  apart.  As  they 
started  in  their  final  rush  for  the  west  end  on  the  land  side, 
Admiral  Porter  gave  the  signal  for  the  vessels  to  chango 
their  firing  from  the  fort  to  the  batteries,  and  concentrate  it 
to  the  left  and  above.  The  scene  on  that  Sabbath  afternoon 
was  terrible — grand — as,  amid  the  thunder  of  many  heavy 
guns,  the  brave  troops  of  Terry  pushed  gallantly  on,  engaging 
in  a  hand  to  hand  conflict  on  the  ramparts,  and  disappearing 
behind  the  high  parapets,  where  the  work  of  death  went 
on  apace.  One  traverse  after  another  was  nobly  wen ;  the 
garrison  fell  back  step  by  step,  and  at  half  past  nine  o'clock 
the  fort  was  cleared. 

Shouts  arose  from  within  the  bloody  works,  and  General 
Terry's  signal  told  the  admiral  that  the  fort  was  fairly  won. 
At  midnight,  its  commanders — General  Whitney  and  Colonel 
Lamb — surrendered,  with  eighteen  hundred  men,  seventy- 
three  guns,  and  the. camp  equipage  and  stores.  The  Union 
loss  in  killed  and  wounded  was  six  hundred  and  forty-six ; 
that  of  the  enemy,  four  hundred.  Among  the  patriots 
killed  Were  Colonels  Bell  and  Moore,  and  Lieutenant-colonel 
Lyman.  The  fleet  lost  in  the  assault  two  hundred  killed, 
including  Lieutenants  Preston  and  Porter.  The  forts  in 
ihe  vicinity,  with  eighty-three  cannon,  fell  into  the  hands 
of  the  victors,  the  garrisons  having  retired  to  Wilmington. 

We  have  anticipated  somewhat,  in  order  to  preserve  the 


CORRESPONDENCE  BETWEEN  GRANT  AND  SHERMAN.  479 

thread  of  the  narrative.  No  important  military  movements 
however,  took  place  in  the  beginning  of  the  year  1865 
Guerillas  swarmed  in  Kentucky  and  the  border  States,  and 
a  party  of  them  burned  the  steamer  Venango,  on  the  Mis- 
sissippi river.  Peaoe  rumors  were  still  heard,  and  acquired 
significance  from  the  repeated  visits  to  Richmond  of  Francis 
P.  Blair.  Important  movements  were  prepared,  though  all 
was  apparently  quiet.  When  General  Sherman  arrived  at 
Savannah,  General  Grant  desired  him  to  embark  his  troops 
on  transports  and  meet  him  at  City  Point,  in  order  to  aid 
him  in  his  advance  on  Richmond.  After  the  defeat  of 
Hood's  army,  however,  General  Grant  changed  his  plan, 
and  wrote  asking  Sherman's  advice  as  to  the  best  course  to 
be  adopted.  The  latter  answered  that,  if  he  desired,  he 
would  come  at  once  to  him  by  sea,  but  that  he  expected  to 
march  to  Columbia,  South  Carolina,  and  thence  to  Raleigh, 
North  Carolina,  from  which  he  would  report  to  him.  The 
confidence  which  Sherman  exhibited,  in  this  letter,  of  being 
able  to  march  up  and  join  Grant,  pleased  the  latter,  and 
without  waiting  for  an  answer  to  his  letter  of  the  18th,  he 
directed  him,  on  the  28th,  to  make  the  proposed  prepare 
tions  without  delay,  to  break  up  the  railroads  in  North  and 
South  Carolina,  and  join  the  armies  against  Richmond  as 
soon  as  he  could.  We  shall  therefore  proceed  to  describe 
the  march  of  this  great  chieftain  through  the  Carolinas, 
after  first  attending  to  some  events,  which,  though  of  in- 
ferior importance,  must  not  be  omitted. 

General  Thomas's  army  being  no  longer  needed  in  Ten 
nessee,  was  broken  up.  General  A.  J.  Smith's  command,  witb 
a  cavalry  division,  was  sent  to  report  to  General  Canby  ;  and 
General  Schofield's  corps  was  brought  east,  and  sent  to  Fort 
Fisher  and  Newbern.  North  Carolina  was  constituted  a 
separate  military  department,  under  Schofieldj  who  was  or- 
dered  to  report  to  General  Stoneman. 

During  the  rejoicings  that  followed  the  capture  of  Fort 
Wisher,  the  war  vessels  being  nearly  all  about  the  Cape  Feai 
river,  the  enemy,  on  the  night  of  the  24th,  sent  four  iron- 
clads down  the  James  river  for  the  purpose  of  separating 
the  armies  on  the  two  sides  of  the  stream,  and,  arriving  at 
City  Point,  to  cut  off  the  communications.  Meanwhile,  a 
large  rebel  force  was  concentrated  north  of  the  James  to 
«ttack  the  aimy  should  the  effort  of  the  iron -cla'la  prov« 


480  PEACE   COMMISSIONERS, 

successful.  A  high  tower,  erected  by  the  patriots  to  over 
look  the  hostile  army,  was  to  be  burned,  as  a  signal  thai 
the  gunboats  had  succeeded.  The  iron-clads  forced  through 
at  Dutch  Gap  canal,  passed  Fort  Brady,  and  drove  back 
the  only  vessel  stationed  in  the  river.  City  Point,  it  was 
probable,  would  be  reached,  and  great  apprehensions  in 
consequence  prevailed  in  the  Union  lines.  All  was  com- 
motion. The  vessels,  fortunately,  grounded ;  one  was  blowr 
up,  and  another  destroyed,  and  the  whole  scheme  was  provi- 
dentially frustrated.  The  court  of  inquiry  which  afterward 
investigated  this  matter,  was  of  opinion  that  the  arrival  of 
the  rebel  iron-clads  at  City  Point,  would  have  raised  the 
siege  of  Richmond.  It  was  a  narrow  escape,  doubtless,  and 
might  have  been  perilous  to  the  country. 

At  the  close  of  the  month,  Peace  Commissioner^  from 
Jefferson  Davis  arrived  at  Fortress  Monroe,  where,  in  a  few 
days,  they  had  an  informal  interview  with  President  Lin- 
coln and  Mr.  Seward.  The  rebel  Commissioners  were 
Alexander  H.  Stephens,  Vice- President  of  the  Confederacy, 
B.  M.  T.  Hunter,  of  Virginia,  and  J.  A.  Campbell,  of  Ala- 
bama. They  desired  to  keep  the  question  of  separation  in 
abeyance,  and  proposed  that  hostilities  should  cease,  and  th* 
former  intercourse  between  North  and  South  be  resumed, 
until  passion  should  cool  on  both  sides.  Mr.  Lincoln  in- 
sisted that  the  supremacy  of  the  Government  should  be 
completely  restored,  everywhere,  previous  to  a  cessation  of 
hostilities,  and  thus  the  matter  ended. 

The  ill  treatment  of  Union  prisoners  became  very  griev- 
ous at  this  time,  and  provoked  the  wrath  of  the  loyal  North 
During  the  first  year  of  the  war,  a  cartel  was  not  allowed 
but  one  agreed  on  in  1862,  permitted  the  exchange  of  pris 
oners,  man  for  man,  and  the  parole  of  the  excess  on  each 
side,  until  an  exchange  could  be  effected.  When  colored 
tro>ps  were  received  into  the  army,  the  rebel  authorities 
WDuld  not  deal  with  them  as  with  white  troops.  Commir 
?ioner  Ould,  on  the  rebel  side,  insisted  that  the  require- 
ments of  the  first  cartel  should  be  met,  and  General  Mere- 
dith, the  Federal  Commissioner,  refused  any  exchange  unless 
colored  troops  were  to  share  in  its  advantages.  The  bal 
a«ce  was  in  favor  of  the  Federal  Government,  from  the 
large  number  of  prisoners  captured  on  the  fall  of  Vicks- 
burg  and  Port  Hudson.  No  regular  system  of  exchange* 


THE   HORRORS   OF   SOL THERN   PRISON   LIFK.          48  i 

therefore  existed,  and  one  attempted  by  General  Butler,  while 
at  Fortress  Monroe,  failed.  The  enemy  treated  Union  pris- 
oners with  such  cruelty  as  unfitted  them  for  future  military 
service,  while  they  desired  the  exchange  of  well-fed  prison- 
ers, who  would  on  their  release,  greatly  aid  the  diminishing 
rebel  army. 

The  people  of  the  North  at  length  grew  dissatisfied,  and 
the  Administration  under  the  consequent  pressure,  devolved 
the  responsibility  on  General  Grant,  under  whose  wise  ad- 
ministration, the  soldier  might  hope  to  see  his  beloved  home 
once  more,  if  but  to  die.  The  chief  Southern  prisons 
were  Andersonville  and  Millen,  Georgia ;  Columbia,  Flor- 
ence, and  Charleston,  South  Carolina ;  Tyler,  Texas ;  Salis- 
bury, North  Carolina ;  Cahawba,  Alabama ;  Danville,  Vir- 
ginia; and  Libby,  Pemberton,  Belle  Isle,  and  Castle  Thun- 
der, Richmond.  Millen  and  Richmond  were  where  the 
greatest  cruelties  were  practiced,  but  the  real  horrors  of 
Southern  prison-life  were  centred  in  the  terrible  prison  pen  of 
Andersonville,  which  was  in  command  of  a  wretch  named 
Captain  Wirtz,  of  terrible  ferocity,  who,  after  the  close  of 
the  war,  was  apprehended,  tried  by  a  military  commission 
at  Washington,  and,  on  conviction,  hung.  It  is  estimated 
that  more  than  seventy  thousand  brave  Union  patriots  per- 
ished from  ill  treatment,  cruelty,  and  starvation,  in  the  pris- 
ons of  the  South. 

The  heart  sickens  at  the  diabolical  attempts  of  the  rebel 
leaders  to  render  the  prisoners  useless  for  any  service  to 
their  country  when  exchanged.  In  prison  they  died  of  the 
scurvy,  were  full  of  filth  and  vermin,  exposed  to  the  weather 
without  shelter,  shot  down  on  the  slightest  pretences,  and 
sometimes  actually  starved  to  death.  If  they  returned,  they 
were  emaciated,  idiotic,  and  dying.  No  pen  can  describe 
the  sufferings  of  the  brave  soldiers  who  pined  and  died  in 
these  Southern  charnel  houses. 

We  now  return  to  General  Sherman, who,  having  rested  with 
his  army  at  Savannah,  was  prepared  to  narch  through 
the  Carolinas.  Preliminaries  being  arranged,  he  sent  part 
of  his  army  in  transports  to  Beaufort  in  the  middle  of  Jan- 
uary, and  on  the  1st  of  February  the  main  body  was  put 

in  motion. 
41 


CHAPTER 

FEBRUARY — MARCH,  1866. 

m  EIGHT  WIKO   CF  SHERMAN  8  ARMY  THREATENS  CHARLESTON TTTE  LOTT, 

ACOC8TA HEAVY  FLOODS    L'CTAIN    THB  ARMY — KILPATRICK/S    CAYALB1 

THE  SALKAHATCHIE  FORCBV — THB  CONFEDERATE  LEADERS  OCTWITTIB 

— THB  CHARL38"ON  AND  AUGUSTA  RAILROAD  DESTROYED — ORANGEBURQ 

CROSSING  OF  THE  EDI8TO — COLUMBIA  BURNED — BURKING  OF  WINNSBORO 

FKINT  ON  CHARLOTTE SHERMAN  MARCHES  ON  FATKTTETILLE — CHER  AW 

— FALL  OF  CHARLESTON — THE  TWO  WINGS  MEKT — SCHOFIELD  AND  TERRY 
— BATTLES  OF  ATERYSBORO  AND  BENTONTILLE — OOLDSBORO  OCCUPIED — 
SHERMAN  YISITS  GRANT — THB  ARMY  REFITTED THE  NATIONAL  FINANCES. 

SHERMAN'S  army,  consisting  of  sixty  thousand  men,  was 
divided  into  four  corps,  of  which  the  right  wing,  commanded 
by  Howard,  comprised  those  of  Blair  and  Logan,  while  the 
left,  under  Slocum,  was  composed  of  the  corps  of  Davis  and 
Williams;  and  General  Kilpatrick  commanded  the  cavalry. 
The  four  thousand  five  hundred  vehicles  of  all  kinds,  in  the 
army,  would  have  made  a  continuous  line  of  forty-five  miles, 
but  each  corps  had  its  own  train,  which  pursued  a  separate 
route.  The  news  of  the  departure  of  the  army  caused  great 
alarm  to  the  Confederacy,  while  the  people  of  the  North 
were  not  without  anxious  solicitude.  No  one  knew  Sher- 
man's designs,  and  his  movements  were  veiled  in  mystery 
By  some,  it  was  supposed  that  Augusta,  by  others,  that 
Charleston  was  his  destination,  but  there  was  a  more  exten 
A  ee  field  of  operation  before  him  than  the  mere  captu  re  of 
either,  or  both  of  these  places,  and  he  formed  the  design  of 
making  Gcldsboro,  at  the  distance  of  five  hundred  miles 
from  Savannah,  and  through  two  hostile  States,  his  objective 
point.  It  was  a  mighty  enterprise  on  which  he  was  about 
to  enter,  and  one  that  required  bold  daring  and  consummate 
strategy.  The  country  through  which  he  was  to  march  after 
leaving  Savannah,  consisted  for  some  distance  of  an  exten- 
sive lowland  plain,  in  which  lay  large  plantations,  sur- 
rounded by  negro  huts,  and  cultivated  fields,  skirted  by  dark 
forests  of  pine,  and  festooned  by  cypress,  wild  vine,  and  gar- 
lands of  hanging  moss.  Gloomy  and  extensive  swampi 
abounded,  inhabited  by  wild  fowl,  serpents,  and  alligator* 


SAGACITY     »F    GENERAL    SHERMAN.  433 

Tne  whole  coast,  from  SavannaL  to  Charleston,  has  pendent 
moss  hanging  like  a  funeral  pall  over  all  its  miasmatic 
swamps,  some  of  which  were  six  miles  in  width,  and  through 
them  must  pass  the  troops,  infantry  and  cavalry,  together 
with  the  artillery,  wagons,  and  ambulances.  In  a  word,  the 
country  was  deemed  impassable ;  vehicles  broke  down  in 
the  swamps,  or  had  to  be  burned  and  abandoned,  and  the 
strongest  horses  experienced  the  utmost  difficulty  in  drag- 
ging through  the  artillery.  Corduroying  was  necessary  for 
many  miles,  otherwise  the  troops  could  never  have  got 
through.  Indeed,  it  was  easier  for  a  pilgrim  in  olden  times 
to  walk  to  Jerusalem  barefoot,  than  for  an  infantry  soldier 
to  make  this  march,  and  lest  the  cavalryman  might  be  sup- 
posed to  have  the  advantage,  in  a  water  covered  swamp 
there  would  often  plunge,  almost  inextricably,  both  horse 
and  rider. 

Without  consideration  of  these  preliminaries,  the  march 
of  Sherman  can  never  be  comprehended.  There  was  one 
rebel  army  at  Charleston,  on  his  right,  and  another  at  Au- 
gusta on  his  left ;  numerous  troops  were  swarming  through 
North  Carolina,  and  every  mile  that  he  marched  brought 
him  nearer  Lee's  army  at  Richmond.  Besides  the  intermin- 
able swamps,  which  presented  such  a  formidable  obstacle, 
_arge  rivers  had  to  be  crossed,  which  were  capable  of  defence 
by  a  hostile  army.  The  wonderful  sagacity  of  Sherman 
had  grasped  the  whole  subject,  and  he  was  equal  to  the  exe- 
cution of  the  grand  design,  possessing,  as  he  did,  a  veteran 
and  v/oll  disciplined  army,  under  leaders  of  well-tried  valor, 
such  as  Howard,  Slocum,  Blair,  Logan,  Davis,  and  Kilpat- 
rick,  and  others  subordinate  to  these,  but  not  inferior  in 
skill  and  prowess. 

General  Sherman  made  Columbia  his  first  objective  point, 
and,  to  carry  out  this  design,  it  was  necessary  to  keep  the 
Confederate  armies  at  Charleston  and  Augusta  divided.  The 
ines  of  defence  afforded  by  the  rivers  could  not  be  carried 
without  great  sacrifice  of  life.  It  was  necessary  to  his  pur- 
pose to  threaten  both  armies  at  the  same  time,  and  by  keep- 
ing the  enemy  in  constant  suspense,  to  prevent  any  move- 
ment. Accordingly,  be  instructed  Slocum,  with  the  left 
wing,  and  Kiipatrick,  with  the  cavalry,  to  move  up  the 
Savannah  river,  and  make  a  feint  on  Augusta,  while  How- 
ard, with  the  right  wing,  threatened  Charleston,  Thii  plan 


484     CHARLESTON   AND  AUGUSTA   RAILROAD    DESTROTXD. 

prevented  the  concentration  of  the  Confederate  forces  on  the 
line  of  the  swampy  Salkahatchie.  Had  the  enemy  done  so, 
General  Sherman  would  have  experienced  great  difficulty, 
for  the  designs  in  reference  to  Charleston  and  Augusta  would 
have  had  to  be  given  up ;  and  even  if  the  Salkahatchie  had 
been  crossed,  the  central  position  of  the  Confederates  would 
have  enabled  them  to  fall  back  on  Columbia,  and  make  a 
stand  on  the  Edisto.  Flanking,  as  in  the  Atlanta  campaign, 
would  have  exposed  Sherman's  trains  greatly  in  the  passage 
of  the  rivers.  The  supplies  for  the  right  wing  were  brought 
to  Pocotaligo,  and  those  for  the  left  to  Sister's  Ferry,  at 
which  the  cavalry  and  Slocum's  wing  were  long  detained 
by  a  heavy  flood  in  the  Savannah  river,  which  overflowed 
the  lowlands  to  such  a  degree,  that  the  stream  was  three 
miles  wide  at  the  point  where  the  troops  were  to  cross. 
Slocunrs  orders  were  to  advance  without  delay,  but  the 
state  in  which  the  flood  left  the  swamp  on  the  other  side  of 
the  river,  rendered  him  very  anxious. 

The  cavalry,  under  Kilpatrick,  having  crossed  the  river 
on  a  pontoon  at  Sister's  Ferry,  passed  the  formidable  swamp 
beyond,  and  moved  rapidly  on  Augusta.  Howard  had 
already  crossed  the  Salkahatchie  river,  indicating  a  move- 
ment of  the  whole  army  on  Columbia  by  way  of  Branchville. 
By  rapid  marching,  Kilpatrick  had  also  crossed  the  la^, 
named  river,  and  occupied  Barnwell,  thirty  miles  in  his 
front,  undiscovered  by  the  enemy. 

Wheeler  now  left  the  front  of  the  Army  of  the  Tennessee, 
auu  rapidly  advanced  to  get  in  front  of  the  Union  cavalry, 
and  save  the  railroad,  but  was  too  late.  In  a  brilliant  cav- 
alry dash  by  Colonel  Jordan,  Black ville,  on  the  Charleston 
and  Augusta  railroad,  was  captured  on  February  the  7th, 
and  Wheeler  driven  across  the  Edisto  river.  Nex?  day, 
the  whole  army  occupied  the  line  of  this  river  to  Black- 
ville,  and  the  railroad  was  destroyed.  At  Johnston's  Sta- 
tion, near  Aiken^  Kilpatrick  encountered  Wheeler's  cavalry, 
which  was  supported  by  Cheatham's  corps  of  infantry- 
After  skirmishing  two  days  with  the  enemy,  until  the  Fed 
eral  infantry  had  crossed  the  Edisto,  and  were  advancing 
toward  Columbia,  Kilpatrick  suddenly  left  Wheeler's  front, 
crossed  the  river,  and  marched  rapidly  to  Lexington  Court 
House.  By  this  movement,  he  prevented  the  rebel  cavalrj 
from  reaching  Columbia,  and  forced  Wheeler,  and  (he  rem- 


THV    •ALKAHATCHIS    FORCED  486 

nft  it  of  Hood's  army,  to  make  a  wide  detour  in  order  to  get 
in  Sherman's  front.  The  same  day  that  Blackville  was 
captured,  Colonel  Spencer,  with  three  regiments  of  cavalry, 
defeated  six  rebel  cavalry  regiments,  and  took  five  battle- 
flags.  On  the  ninth,  Kilpatrick  gave  Wheeler  a  severe  re- 
pulse at  Johnston's  Station.  The  latter  general  was  not 
found  to  be  a  match  for  the  Union  leader,  and  was,  conse- 
quently, superseded  by  Lieutenant-general  Wade  Hampton, 
The  Confederate  cavalry  now  combined  against  Kilpatrick, 
whom  they  far  outnumbered. 

On  the  31st  of  January,  General  Howard  left  Pocotaligo, 
where  he  left  Hatch's  division  to  keep  up  the  feint  of  an 
advance  on  Charleston,  by  the  railroad  bridge  across  the 
Salkahatchie.  The  roads  had  been  obstructed  by  fallen  tim- 
ber, and  the  bridges  burned  over  swollen  streams,  but  these 
matters  were  soon  set  right  by  the  hardy  pioneers.  Midway 
Station,  on  the  Charleston  and  Augusta  railroad,  is  about 
midway  from  both  these  places,  and  due  south  of  Columbia. 
Howard  moved  his  columns  toward  this  point.  The  rebels 
held  the  line  of  the  Salkahatchie  in  force,  being  intrenched 
at  River  and  Beaufort  bridges,  with  infantry  and  artillery. 
General  Howard  ordered  the  Seventeenth  corps  to  clear  the 
former,  and  the  Fifteenth  corps  the  latter.  The  former  waa 
successfully  carried,  on  February  3d,  by  the  divisions  of 
Mower  and  Smith,  in  which  a  swamp  three  miles  wide,  and 
of  a  depth  ranging  from  the  knee  to  the  shoulder,  was 
crossed.  The  weather  was  exceedingly  cold,  but  the  patriot 
commanders  set  a  noble  example,  marching  on  foot  at  the 
head  of  their  divisions,  and  wading  through  the  cold  water 
with  their  soldiers.  The  Confederates  guarding  the  bridge 
were  driven  toward  Branchville.  In  this  gallant  movement, 
the  Union  loss  was  ninety. 

The  next  place  at  which  the  enemy  could  make  a  stand, 
was  on  the  Edisto  river,  at  Branchville,  sixty  miles  from 
Charleston.  The  army  moved  rapidly,  and  reaching  the 
railroad  at  Midway,  on  the  7th,  began  to  destroy  it ;  Slocum 
also  destroyed  it,  nearer  Augusta.  The  enemy's  forces  at 
Aiken  and  Augusta,  on  the  one  side,  and  at  Branchvillt 
and  Charleston,  on  the  other,  were  now  separated,  without 
the  least  prospect  of  reunion.  Sherman  now  left  the  work 
of  destroying  the  railroad  to  be  performed  by  the  left  wing, 
and  advanced  with  the  right  on  Orangeburg.  The  Seven 


486  CROSSING  or  THE  EDISTO. 

teenth  corps  crossed  the  South  Edisto  at  Binnaker's  bridge 
and  marched  on  Orangeb  irg,  and  the  Fifteenth  corps,  having 
crossed  at  Holman's  bridge,  advanced  to  Popl»*  Springs, 
for  the  purpose  of  supporting  the  Seventeenth.  The  Con- 
federate commander  had  endeavored  to  save  Charleston,  and 
now  retired  to  his  fortifications  at  Branchville.  He  burned 
the  bridge  over  the  Edisto,  however,  and  placed  a  force 
there  to  dispute  the  passage  of  the  army.  A  heavy  discharge 
of  artillery  arrested  General  Ford  with  the  advance  division, 
but  the  men  lower  down;  by  wading  and  swimming,  suc- 
ceeded in  launching  four  pontoon  boats,  on  which  the  troops 
crossed.  They  now  drove  the  rebels  to  the  woods,  and  for 
fifteen  miles  on  the  line  of  the  river,  the  army,  at  many 
points,  attacked  the  enemy,  who  were  unable  to  oppose  the 
passage.  Orangeburg  was  now  evacuated,  and  the  place, 
containing  three  thousand  inhabitants,  was  occupied  by  the 
Union  troops.  General  Howard's  troops  nobly  endeavored 
to  extinguish  the  flames  raging  in  the  place,  which  had  been 
fired. 

General  Blair  was  ordered  to  destroy  the  railroad  to 
Louisville,  drive  the  enemy  across  the  Congaree,  and  force 
them  to  burn  the  bridges,  which  was  done  on  the  14th. 
Sherman  now  delayed  no  longer  to  waste  time  or  labor  on 
Branchville  or  Charleston,  and  moved  his  magnificent  col- 
umns direct  on  Columbia.  Farther  west,  the  left  wing  moved 
toward  the  same  point,  over  the  Edisto,  across  swamps  and 
streams.  On  the  16th,  Howard  halted  on  the  Saluda,  in 
front  of  Columbia,  and  an  hour  later,  the  advance  of  the 
left  wing  appeared  a  little  further  west,  on  the  banks  of  the 
same  stream.  The  capital  city  of  the  proud  little  State  of 
South  Carolina,  the  cradle  of  rebellion,  now  lay  at  the 
mercy  of  the  Union  army,  and  it  was  formally  surrendered 
by  the  mayor.  General  Wade  Hampton,  who  commanded 
the  rebel  cavalry,  had,  in  anticipation  of  its  capture,  ordered 
that  all  cotton,  both  public  and  private,  should  be  moved 
into  the  streets  and  fired,  to  prevent  its  falling  into  the 
hands  of  the  patriots.  Some  piles  were  burning  in  the 
heart  of  the  city,  near  the  Court  House,  but  the  fire  was 
partially  subdued  by  the  efforts  of  the  Union  soldiers.  The 
army  had  not  entered  the  city.  The  Fifteenth  corps  marched 
through,  and  encamped  beyond  on  the  Camden  road ;  the 
Seventeenth  did  not  enter  the  place  at  all,  and  the  neare* 


COLUMBIA   AXD    W1NMSBORO   BURNED.  437 

point  to  which  the  left  wing  and  the  cavalry  approached, 
was  two  miles  from  the  city.  One  brigade  only  was  placed 
on  duty  within  the  city4  The  flames  spread  from  the  com- 
bustibles, and  notwithstanding  the  efforts  of  the  Union 
commanders,  could  not  be  checked,  but  reduced  the  city  to 
ashes.  General  Sherman  and  his  officers  worked  with  their 
own  hands  until  long  after  midnight,  trying  to  save  life  and 
property.  It  was  a  sad  scene,  more  easily  conceived  than 
described.  In  the  convent,  the  fire  began  to  make  fearful 
ravages,  and  the  terrified  inmates  were  conducted  from  the 
awful  scene  to  a  place  of  safety  in  the  City  Park. 

During  the  progress  of  the  fire,  the  houses  were  plun- 
dered, and  officers  and  soldiers,  drunken  with  the  wines  and 
liquors  thus  brought  to  light,  were,  in  some  instances, 
buried  in  the  burning  ruins  of  the  houses ;  but  we  shall  not 
dwell  upon  the  melancholy  scene,  which  rendered  desolate 
this  once  beautiful  city. 

Sherman  left  the  homeless  population  sufficient  provisions 
to  sustain  them  for  some  time,  and,  followed  by  a  vast  num 
ber  of  negroes  and  refugees,  moved  north,  toward  Charlotte. 
As  in  the  Georgia  campaign,  the  country,  in  a  belt  of  forty 
miles,  was  left  a  scene  of  utter  desolation.  Many  houses  wera 
burned.  The  pine  forests  were  blazing  in  the  night,  light- 
ing the  columns  on  their  way,  and  casting  weird  shadows 
across  the  paths  of  the  advancing  hosts.  Slocum,  with  the 
left  wing,  protected  on  his  left  flank  by  Kilpatrick's  cavalry, 
moved  on  Winnsboro,  which  is  located  northwest  of 
Columbia ;  this  place  was  fired  by  foragers,  before  the  act 
could  be  prevented.  From  Columbia,  Beauregard  had  fallen 
back  on  Charlotte.  Anticipating  a  movement  of  Sherman  in 
that  direction,  Cheathara's  corps,  of  Hood's  old  army,  which 
had  moved  over  the  whole  distance  from  Augusta,  almost  on 
parallel  roads  with  Kilpatrick's  cavalry,  was  endeavoring 
to  unite  with  the  rebel  chief. 

In  consequence  of  severe  rain,  the  roads  were  rendered 
almost  impassable ;  notwithstanding,  Sherman  pushed  on  for 
two  days  toward  Charlotte.  On  the  23d,  the  army  wheeled 
about  due  east,  moving  on  Fayetteville,  and  crossing  the 
swollen  rivers,  over  which,  a  century  ago,  Cornwallis  had 
pursued  General  Greene. 

Meanwhile  Kilpatrick  protected  the  troops  which  wer« 
engaged  in  this  movement,  and  as  General  Sherman  wat 


US     KILPJLTRICF   BTJRPRIPED — DEFEAT   OF  THE    ENEMY. 

now  moving  on  Fayetteville,  the  Confederate  cavalry,  under 
Ha  .ipton  and  Wheeler,  used  vigorous  efforts  to  reach  it  first, 
as  tbrt  was  the  point  on  which  Hardee  was  marching,  in  his 
retreat  from  Charleston.  Kilpatrick  attempted  to  prevent 
the  combination  of  these  forces,  and  as  there  were  three 
roads,  on  any  one  of  which  he  judged  that  the  enemy  might 
pass,  he  endeavored  to  hold  them  all,  which  required  the  troops 
to  be  far  apart.  Along  one  of  these  roads,  all  of  which 
wera  in  a  wretched  condition,  Kilpatrick  encamped  on  the 
night  of  March  10th;  with  Colonel  Spencer's  small  brigade 
of  three  regiments,  and  four  hundred  dismounted  men,  with 
one  section  of  artillery.  Wade  Hampton,  with  three  divi- 
sions of  cavalry,  commanded  by  Hume,  Allen,  and  Butler, 
charged  Kilpatrick's  position  just  before  daylight.  Hamp- 
ton led  the  centre  division,  and  in  less  than  a  minute,  had 
driven  back  the  patriots,  taking  possession  of  the  head-quar- 
ters, captured  the  general's  aids,  and  the  whole  Union 
command  was  flying  before  a  most  terrible  cavalry  charge. 
At  this  crisis,  Colonel  Spencer,  and  a  large  portion  of  the 
staff,  were  surrounded  by  the  enemy.  Kilpatrick  says: 
"On  foot,  I  succeeded  in  gaining  the  cavalry  command,  a 
few  hundred  yards  in  the  rear,  and  found  the  men  fighting 
with  the  rebels  for  their  camp  and  animals,  and  they  were 
soon  finally  forced  back  ecme  five  hundred  yards  to  a  swamp, 
impassable  to  friend  or  foe.  The  enemy,  eager  for  plunder, 
failed  to  promptly  follow  us  up.  We  rallied,  and  at  once 
advanced  on  the  foe.  We  retook  the  cavalry  camp,  and, 
encouraged  by  our  success,  charged  the  enemy,  who  were 
endeavoring  to  harness  up  my  battery  horses,  and  plunder- 
ing rny  head-quarters.  We  retook  the  artillery,  and  turned 
it  upon  the  forces  about  my  head-quarters,  not  twenty  steps' 
distance,  and  finally  forced  them  out  of  my  camp  with  great 
slaughter." 

In  this  brilliant  affair,  the  Union  loss  was  one  hundred 
killed  and  wounded,  several  of  them  mortally,  and  many 
desperately.  The  enemy  left  one  hundred  dead  on  the 
field,  and  six  hundred  wounded  and  prisoners.  Among 
their  killed  were  General  Humes  and  Colonel  Aiken,  and 
among  the  wounded,  five  colonels  and  fifteen  lieutenant- 
colonels 

Sherman  crossed  the  Catawba,  marched  toward  the  Ped«« 
ft  I  Cheraw,  at  which  point  the  rebels  made  some  resistance 


FALL   OF   CHARLESTON.  489 

but  were  swept  from  his  patA,  with  the  loss  of  twenty-five 
pieces  of  artillsry.  News  soon  reached  the  army  of  the 
capture  of  Charleston,  and  the  national  banner  once  more 
waved  as  of  old  on  Fort  Sumter.  The  place  began  to  be 
evacuated  by  Hardee's  troops  on  the  night  of  the  16th  of 
February,  and  by  the  next  night,  all  were  gone.  Some 
soldiers  burned  the  upper  part  of  the  city,  destroying  the 
railroa  1  dep6ts,  and  a  large  quantity  of  cotton.  Two  hun- 
Ired  kegs  of  powder  were  in  the  depQts,  where  the  inhabitants 
went  to  obtain  rice,  etc,  while  the  buildings  were  on  fire. 
One  hundred  persons  were  killed  by  the  explosion  of  the 
powder.  The  rebel  rams  in  the  harbor  blew  up  at  daylight, 
with  a  terrible  explosion.  On  the  18th,  the  mayor  surren- 
dered the  city,  with  all  the  forte  in  the  vicinity,  to  General 
Gilmore ;  and  the  Government  of  the  United  States  was  once 
more  supreme  in  the  blackened  and  ruined  Charleston. 
Four  hundred  and  fifty  cannon  were  captured.  The  city 
had  been  besieged  five  hundred  and  eighty-five,  and  under 
fire,  five  hundred  and  forty  days.  Ten  thousand  inhabitants 
of  the  poorer  classes  alone  remained  in  this  once  magnifi- 
cent city. 

The  right  and  left  wings  of  the  army  joined  at  Cheraw 
for  the  first  time  since  they  had  left  Savannah,  and  now 
moved  together  on  Fayetteville,  which  the  advance  i  cached 
on  March  12th.  Sherman  had  previously  sent  trusty  scouts 
to  Wilmington,  to  give  notice  of  his  approach  to  that  pluoe, 
which  was  already  occupied  by  the  Union  troops.  The 
enemy  had  evacuated  Fort  Anderson  on  the  approach  of 
General  Schofield  and  Admiral  Porter,  on  both  sides  of 
the  Cape  Fear  river.  There  was  some  fighting,  which 
resulted  in  the  occupation,  on  the  22d  of  February,  of  this 
important  place  by  the  Union  troops.  When  the  news 
arrived  in  the  city  by  the  scouts,  the  United  States  steam 
tug  Davidson  was  sent  up  the  river,  and  arrived  at  Fayette- 
vills  on  the  same  day  that  the  army  approached  it.  Loud 
cheers  from  the  brave  troops  greeted  the  tug,  and  despatches 
were  thus  returned  to  General  Terry,  who  commanded  at  Wil- 
mington, and  Schofield,  at  Newbern,  to  move  and  joic 
Sherman  at  Goldsboro.  The  enemy's  forces,  General  Sher- 
man now  expected  to  concentrate,  and  he  required  the  aid 
of  these  troops.  He  knew  that  Cheatham  and  Beauregard 
were  marching  on  Raleigh,  and  that  Hardee,  on  his  evacu* 


4*0  BATTLE   OF   AYERYSBORO. 

tion  of  Fayetteville,  was  moving  toward  the  same  point 
The  forces  of  Johnston  and  Hoke,  with  these  and  the  troops 
from  Wilmington  and  Newbern,  would  make  a  considerable 
army.  The  enemy  had  attacked  Schofield  on  his  inland 
march  on  the  8th,  at  Wise's  Forks,  and  repulsed  him  with 
heavy  loss.  On  the  10th,  an  attack  on  his  intrenched  camp 
was  punished  so  severely,  that  the  enemy  retreated  with  great 
loss ;  and  crossing  Neuse  river  on  the  14th,  Schofield  entered 
Kinstou,  On  the  15th,  Sherman  moved  up  the  Pedee,  as  if 
Rale.gh,  the  capital  of  North  Carolina,  and  not  Goldsboro, 
on  the  Neuse  river,  were  his  objective  point. 

There  is  a  narrow  and  marshy  track  of  land  between  the 
Cape  Fear  and  South  rivers,  near  Averysboro.  Here  Gen- 
eral Hardee  had  halted  in  his  retreat  from  Fayetteville,  and 
held  an  intrenched  position  with  twenty  thousand  men.  He 
was  found  by  Kilpatrick  in  this  place  on  the  loth  of  March, 
The  latter  was  moving  toward  Kaleigh,  followed  by  two 
divisions  of  the  Fourteenth  and  Twentieth  corps,  respectively. 
Kilpatrick  dismounted  his  cavalry,  and  with  eight  pieces  of 
artillery  prepared  for  battle,  sending  back  to  the  Twentieth 
corps  for  reinforcements.  The  enemy  advanced  on  Kilpat- 
rick, who  retired,  abandoning  two  pontooons  under  a  heavy 
fire.  Night  ended  the  conflict.  On  the  second  day,  Kil- 
patrick, being  reinforced,  advanced  with  his  entire  command, 
and  the  rebels  were  driven  steadily  back,  but  while  prepa- 
rations were  made  for  an  assault  upon  them,  they  attempted 
to  turn  the  Federal  flanks,  and  were  repulsed  after  seve.e 
fighting.  They  fell  sullenly  back,  and  during  the  night 
retreated  to  Raleigh,  leaving  their  dead  and  wounded  on  the 
field  ;  their  loss  was  one  thousand  two  hundred,  the  Union 
loss  seven  hundred  and  twenty.  The  gallantry  of  General 
Jordan  and  Colonel  Jones,  was  conspicuous  in  this  action, 
during  the  cavalry  conflict.  This  was  the  last  cavalry  fight 
in  the  campaign,  and  bravely  these  heroes  fought  side  by 
aide  with  the  noble  infantry  troops. 

Slocum,  on  the  17th,  ceased  kis  movements  on  Raleigh, 
ancl  wheeling  to  tho  right,  crossed  South  river,  which  wae 
flooded,  and  marched  toward  Goldsboro,  whither  Howard 
was  moving  to  the  east  through  miry  roads.  On  the  18th, 
both  wings  were  near  the  place,  and  Sherman  went  across 
the  country  to  consult  with  Howard,  when  he  heard  the 
•ound  of  artillery  behind  him.  A  staff  officer  told  him  that 


BATTLE  OF  BENTONVILLE — GOLDSBORO  OCCUI IED.  491 

it  was  an  affair  between  Carlin's  division  and  the  rebe^ 
cavalry,  and  that  the  latter  were  retreating.  He  was  now 
informed  by  other  officers  that  Johnston's  entire  army  was 
in  Slocum's  front,  near  Bentonville. 

General  Sherman  now  sent  a  despatch  to  Blair,  ordering 
him  to  march  with  his  corps  to  Falling  Creek  Church,  and 
with  three  divisions  of  the  Fifteenth  corps,  tc  come  up  in 
Johnston's  rear,  from  the  direction  of  Cox's  bridge.  Howard 
was  to  move  on  Bentonville  at  daylight,  leaving  his  wagon 
train  behind.  General  Sherman  ordered  Schofield  to  march 
on  the  came  point,  and  Terry,  to  march  to  Cox's  bridge. 
Slocum  placed  artillery  in  front,  and  sent  Morgan's  division 
to  place  another  line  a  mile  in  advance,  but  Johnston  drove 
back  this  line,  and  captured  some  guns.  Slocum  now 
deployed  two  divisions  of  the  Fourteenth  corps,  and  two  of 
the  Twentieth,  with  all  speed.  Barricades  were  thrown  up, 
and  Kilpatrick's  cavalry  massed  on  the  left.  The  enemy,  at 
four  o'clock,  massing  in  three  heavy  columns,  swept  on  the 
barricades,  and  seemed  to  carry  all  before  them.  The  deadly 
fire  of  artillery  and  musketry  from  the  patriot  ranks,  made 
the  first  line  recoil,  but  the  second  advanced  with  a  cheer 
and  encountered  the  heroes  of  Chickamauga,  who  quickly 
arrested  its  course.  In  half  an  hour,  six  distinct  charges 
Were  made,  the  last  of  which  broke  Slocum's  line,  which 
Tallied  and  repelled  the  foe.  It  was  a  close  combat,  and 
many  of  the  Confederate  dead  lay  round  the  head-quarters 
of  the  Union  commanders.  During  the  night,  Slocum's 
wagon  train,  and  its  guard  of  two  divisions  arrived,  and 
Hazen's  division  also  came  up.  Johnston  had  the  corps  of 
Hoke,  Cheatham,  and  Hardee,  and  was  superior  in  numbers 
to  Slocum,  on  whose  left,  Howard,  coming  up  next  day,  took 
up  his  position.  The  army,  which  Johnston  expected  to 
capture  in  detail,  was  now  well  in  hand,  a-nd  its  whole 
machinery,  like  clock-work,  moved  in  wonderful  order  under 
the  leadership  of  the  mighty  mind  that  directed  each  move- 
ment. Sherman,  however,  did  not  wish  to  bring  on  a  battl« 
here,  unless  all  went  in  his  favor,  and  merely  shelled  th« 
Woods  and  threatened  the  enemy's  flanks. 

This  was  the  state  of  affairs  on  the  21st  of  March.  On 
this  day,  Schofield  occupied  Goldsboro,  and  Terry  held  Cox's 
bridge  on  the  Neuse,  crossing  a  brigade  on  a  pontoon,  t«n 
miles  above.  In  storm  and  rain,  Mower  moved  well  round 


492  3HEHMAN    VISITS   GRANT. 

the  enemy  a  flank  to  the  right,  and  had  nearly  reached  hii 
only  line  of  retreat,  at  Mill  brrige.  A  battle  ensued,  and 
Johnston  retired  in  the  night.  The  total  loss  on  the  Union 
side  was  one  thousand  six  hundred  and  forty-six.  Sherman 
left  Howard  with  the  cavalry  next  day,  to  inter  the  slain, 
and  ordered  the  troops  to  encamp  around  Goldsbore.  He 
visited  Terry  at  Cox's  bridge,  rode  into  the  town,  and  there 
found  Schofield. 

The  campaign  was  ended,  and  the  point  for  which  he  had 
started  in  the  preceding  autumn  reached.  A  desolate  track 
had  marked  the  march  of  the  army,  nearly  three  hundred 
miles  through  the  heart  of  Georgia,  and  yet  more  so  through 
South  and  North  Carolina,  for  nearly  five  hundred  miles. 
Sherman  now  left  Schofield  in  command  of  the  army,  and 
went  to  consult  with  Grant,  at  City  Point,  where  he  also  met 
the  President,  by  whom  he  was  cordially  welcomed.  The 
army  was  now  supplied  with  shoes,  clothing,  and  all  rhat  waa 
necessary  for  another  campaign. 

Leaving  Grant  and  Sherman  with  the  President,  in  con- 
sultation— as  remarkable  a  trio  as  ever  met — and  with 
matters  of  the  most  momentous  importance  for  deliberation, 
we  now  turn  our  attention  to  the  subject  of  the  National 
finances. 

On  the  1st  of  July,  1864,  Mr.  Chase,  Secretary  of  the 
Treasury,  resigned,  and  was  succeeded  by  Mr.  Fessenden, 
who  continued  in  office  till  March,  1865.  The  financial 
policy  was  unchanged.  At  the  commencement  of  the  war 
the  treasury  was  nearly  empty,  and  the  expenses  of  Govern- 
ment would  require  three  hundred  and  nineteen  millions  to 
defray  expenses.  The  Congress  of  1861,  authorized  the 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury  to  borrow  two  hundred  and  fifty 
millions  of  dollars,  by  the  issue  of  bonds  to  be  redeemable 
in  twenty  years,  also  to  issue  fifty  million  dollars  in  seven 
and  three  tenths  per  cent.  Treasury  notes,  payable  in  three 
years,  and  of  United  States  notes  without  interest,  payable 
on  demand.  Twenty  millions  were  to  be  levied  by  a  direct 
tax,  and  the  customs  were  to  be  increased.  The  difficulty 
was  now,  to  find  purchasers  for  the  United  States  bonds. 
Had  the  war  been  a  foreign  one,  any  amount  of  money 
3ould  have  been  borrowed  abroad.  The  only  pian  was  to 
make  it  a  people's  loan.  Agencies  were  established  in  the 
principal  cities,  to  receive  subscriptions.  Ona  of  tb*  moot 


THE   NATIONAL    FINANCK.  498 

patriotic,  energetic,  and  successful  during  the  war,  in  obtain- 
ing the  subscriptions  which  gave  the  Government  the  means 
of  meeting  its  enormous  expenditures,  was  Jay  Oooke,  of 
Philadelphia,  who  proved  a  benefactor  of  his  country  iu 
her  time  of  need.  In  the  beginning  of  1862,  only  fifty 
millions  of  dollars  of  paper  money  had  been  issued.  The 
tax  of  twenty  millions  afforded  no  revenue,  while  the  expen- 
ditures were  now  increased  to  the  enormous  sum  of  two 
millions  daily.  Congress,  laboring  under  the  supposition  of 
the  speedy  termination  of  the  war,  was  only  anxious  to 
meet  present  wants.  On  the  last  of  February,  1863,  the 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury  was  authorized  to  issue  one 
hundred  and  fifty  millions  of  dollars  in  notes,  of  such  denom- 
inations, but  not  less  than  five  dollars,  as  he  desired.  The 
interest  of  the  public  debt  was  to  be  paid  in  coin,  and 
customs  also  were  to  be  paid  for  in  the  same.  To  get  at 
the  great  amount  of  wealth  usually  employed  in  trade,  but 
now  locked  up,  the  Secretary  was  authorized  to  receive 
twenty  millions  on  deposit,  to  be  paid  on  ten  days'  notice, 
and  to  bear  interest  at  five  per  cent.,  payable  in  gold.  The 
amount  was  quickly  taken,  and  Congress  authorized  the 
reception  of  one  hundred  millions,  the  interest  of  which  was 
payable  in  paper.  Internal  taxation  was  now  resorted  to, 
and  by  an  excise  law,  taxes  were  levied  on  all  incomes 
exceeding  six  hundred  dollars;  under  this  law,  stamp  duties 
were  to  be  paid  on  all  transactions  and  legal  demands,  and 
a  three  per  cent,  tax  on  all  manufactures.  The  expenditures 
for  the  fiscal  year  of  1863,  were  estimated  at  $693,346.321, 
not  including  the  public  debt  of  $95,212,456.  The  calling 
out  of  six  hundred  thousand  men  swelled  the  expenditures, 
and  Congress  made  an  appropriation  of  $882,238,800.  To 
raise  this  amount,  the  Secretary  was  authorized  to  issue  five 
hundred  millions  of  dollars  of  six  per  cent,  stock,  redeemable 
in  five  to  twenty  years,  and  an  issue  of  notes  for  one  hundred 
millions,  which  could  be  exchanged  at  par  for  the  stock. 
Fractional  notes  under  a  dollar,  to  any  amount,  made  up  the 
balance.  Gold,  this  year  reached  the  extraordinary  figuro 
of  one  hundred  and  seventy-two  and  one  half  per  cent, 
premium.  When  Congress  again  met,  the  debt  amounted 
to  fourteen  hundred  millions  of  dollars.  To  meet  the 
immediate  outlay,  the  Secretary  was  authorized,  at  the 
beginning  of  the  actual  year,  to  issue  one  hundred  millions 


494  THE   1TJ  *  9NAL   FINANCES. 

of  dollars  of  papo-  money.  I've  hundred  million  dollar! 
six  per  cent,  bonds  were  also  authorized  to  be  issued,  re- 
deemable within  forty,  but  not  until  after  ten  years ;  and  an 
issue  of  four  hundred  million  of  dollars  of  notes,  in  denomi- 
nations of  ten  and  upward  to  be  legal  tenders,  bearing  six 
per  cent,  compound  interest  in  papev,  and  redeemable  in 
three  years ;  also  one  hundred  and  fifty  million  more,  into 
which  the  smaller  interest  bearing  notes  coulu  be  converted. 
The  National  Banking  Law  was  passed,  which  authorized 
banks  in  all  the  States,  secured  in  Government  bonds,  to 
circulate  notes  redeemable  in  Government  paper.  This  law, 
though  attended  with  many  difficulties,  gave  the  great  advan- 
tage of  a  uniform  currency.  The  total  amount  of  revenue 
from  all  sources,  for  the  fiscal  year  of  186-1,  was  $888,082,128, 
to  meet  an  expenditure  above  $895,000,000.  At  the 
close  of  the  fiscal  year,  gold  went  up  to  two  hundred  and 
ninety.  The  public  debt,  in  March  1865,  amounted  to 
$2,423,437,000.  This  brief  epitome  may  tend  to  show  the 
immense  sums  expended,  to  bring  ba  3k  misguided  citizen* 
to  their  allegiance,  and  will  ae^Te  to  exhibit  the  coy.',  of  the 
Great  Rebellion. 


CHAPTER  XL VII. 

FEBBUARY — MAY,  1866. 

BKTWETiJC   ORJNT  AND  SHERMAN — STONEMAN'S  5AI9-— PRBPA- 

RATIONS  BY  OANBT  AGAINST  MOBILE SHERIDAN'S  RAID  IN  THK  SHENAJt- 

DOAH  VALLEY  Aifl  AROUND  RICHMOND  TO  WHITK  HOUSE GRANT'S  PLA1I 

TO  MOVE  ROUND  THE  REBEL  FLANS REBRL  ATTACK  ON  FORT  STEADMAN 

— SHERMAN  RETURNS  TO  THE  ARMY GRANT'S   MOVEMENT — BATTLE  OF 

FIVE  FORKS GRAND  ATTACK  ON  THE  ENKMY's  LINES PETERSBURG  AH1I 

RICHMOND  EVACUATED LEE  RETREATS  TOWARD  DANVILLE THE  PURSU11 

WEITZEL  ENTERS  RICHMOND — LEE  PRESSED GRANT  DEMANDS  HIS  SUR- 
RENDER— THK  CAPITULATION — SHERMAN  RETURNS  TO  HIS  ARMY — RE- 
CEIVES THE  NEWS  OF  THE  FALL  OF  PETERSBURG  AND  RICHMOND HI 

MOVES    ON    RALEIGH SHERMAN'S    INTERVIEW    WITP    JOHNSTON — THK 

ARMISTICE — STONEMAN'S  RAID — PRESIDENT  LINCOLN  ASSASSINATED — 
HIS  OBSEQUIES — THE  CONSPIRATORS  TRIED,  CONVICTED,  AND  EXECUTED 
— CAPTURE  OF  MOBILE — WILSON'S  CAVALRY  EXPEDITION — GRAND  RK- 
VIEW  AT  WASHINGTON — THE  TROOPS  DISBANDED. 

GENERALS  GRANT  and  Sherman  had  an  interview,  in 
arhich  the  grave  matters  connected  with  the  overthrow  of 
ihe  Confederacy,  and  the  death  of  the  monster  rebellion 
were  duly  considered.  General  Sherman  had  been  excluded 
from  almost  all  communication  with  the  outer  world  since 
the  beginning  of  February,  and  was  now  informed  of  the 
plans  both  of  the  past  and  future,  with  which  General  Grant 
designed  to  finish  his  great  work. 

When  the  march  was  made  into  South  Carolina,  General 
Grant  had  ordered  General  Thomas  to  send  Stonernan 
thither  with  a  cavalry  force,  for  the  purpose  of  destroying 
the  railroads,  and  all  the  resources  which  could  aid  the 
enemy ;  but  Sherman  was  half  across  the  State  before 
Stoneman  could  start,  and  on  the  last  of  February,  Grant 
ordered  the  latter,  with  five  thousand  cavalry,  to  be  sent  east 
to  destroy  the  railroad  toward  Lynchburg,  in  which  work 
he  was  now  engaged. 

General  Canby  was  preparing  to  take  Mobile,  and  Thomas 
was  to  send  a  cavalry  force  of  ten  thousand  men  from  East- 
port,  Mississippi,  into  Alabama,  to  co-operate  with  him, 
while  another  body  of  cavalry,  some  eight  thousand  strong, 
wao.,  at  the  same  time,  to  move  east  from  Vicksburg,  for  tht 


496  SHERIDAN'S  ORKAT  RAID. 

same  purpose.  If  successful,  these  operations  would,  with 
others  carried  '  D  elsewhere,  le«*v  e  the  rebellion  without  a 
prop. 

Meanwhile,  General  Sheridan's  glorious  campaign  in  the 
Shenandoah  valley  was  ended,  and  General  Grant,  on  the 
20th  of  February,  ordered  him  to  advance  on  Lynchburg 
as  soon  as  the  state  of  the  roads  permitU  d,  and  after  the 
destruction  of  the  railroad  and  canal  near  ii,  to  join  General 
Sherman,  whose  cavalry  force  was  outnumbered  by  that  cf 
the  enemy. 

Sheridan,  on  the  27th,  left  Winchester  with  ten  thousand 
cavalry,  and  moving  rapidly,  secured,  on  the  29th,  tho 
bridge  over  the  northern  fork  of  the  Shenandoah,  at  Mount 
Crawford,  and  on  the  30th,  entered  Staunton.  Though  Loe 
had  been  reinforced,  as  we  have  already  narrated,  with 
nearly  all  the  troops  in  the  valley,  Early  was  still  at  Staun- 
ton with  a  moderate  force,  and  now,  on  the  approach  of  the 
Unionists,  fell  back  and  intrenched  at  Waynesboro.  Sheri- 
dan, having  arrived  in  front  of  the  Confederates,  without  the 
trouble  of  a  reconnoissance,  rushed  upon  them.  The  bugles 
rang  out  the  spirit-stirring  notes,  the  hostile  position  was 
swept  like  a  tornado,  and  the  capture  effected  of  sixteen 
hundred  prisoners,  eleven  pieces  of  artillery,  with  their 
horses  and  caissons,  two  hundred  loaded  wagons,  and  seven- 
teen battle  flags. 

The  prisoners  were  sent  back  to  Winchester,  and  the 
victorious  Sheridan,  after  destroying  the  railroad  and 
bridges  in  his  route,  moved  on,  and  reached  Charlotte  on 
the  3d  of  March.  Here  he  halted  two  days,  to  destroy  the 
railroad  and  bridges  toward  Lynchburg  and  Eichmond,  and 
wait  until  his  trains  should  come  up ;  but  the  Confederates, 
having  had  time  to  prepare  for  the  defence  of  the  place,  ne 
now  abandoned  the  design  of  its  capture.  On  the  6th,  he 
moved  his  troops  in  two  columns,  one  of  which  advanced 
to  Scottsville,  and  thence  moved  up  the  James  to  New 
Market,  destroying  the  locks,  and  in  many  places  the  banks 
of  the  canal.  A  force  was  sent  from  this  point  to  secure 
the  bridge  at  Duigidsville,  which  the  enemy,  anticipating 
the  movement,  burned. 

The  other  column  moved  down  the  railroad  and  destroyed 
it  to  a  point  within  sixteen  miles  of  Lynchburg.  The 
spring  floods  had  swollen  the  river,  the  pontoons  would  not 


BKBKL   ATTACK   ON   FORT   8TI ADMAN.  497 

reach  across,  and  the  bridge,  having  been  barned  by  the 
enemy  on  their  retreat,  Sheridan  was  unable  to  join  Sher- 
man. He  now,  therefore,  determined  to  move  around  Rich- 
mond on  the  north  side,  and  reaching  White  House,  put 
himself  in  communication  with  Grant.  On  the  10th,  he 
concentrated  his  troops  at  Columbia,  from  which  point  he 
sent  scouts  to  inform  General  Grant  of  his  plans,  and  also 
desiring  supplies  to  be  sent  to  White  House.  The  scouta 
arrived  on  the  13th,  and  Grant  sent  an  infantry  force  to 
hold  White  House.  Sheridan  was  now  approaching  the 
rebel  capital,  causing  great  alarm  to  its  population.  A 
strong  force  was  sent  out  to  cut  him  off,  but  turning  to  the 
left  he  crossed  the  North  and  South  Anna  rivers,  and 
moving  down  the  north  bank  of  the  Pamunkey,  arrived  a. 
the  White  House  on  the  27th,  and  joined  the  army  of  the 
Potomac;  on  the  same  day  (the  27th)  Sherman  visited 
Grant.  It  was  very  important,  at  this  time,  that  the  South 
side  and  Danville  railroads  should  be  destroyed,  as  General 
Grant  foresaw  that  by  this  route  Lee  would  retreat  to  join 
Johnston,  in  case  of  evacuating  Richmond.  He  now  re- 
solved to  send  Sheridan  on  this  mission,  around  the  enemy's 
left.  The  29th  of  March  was  appointed  for  this  movement, 
and  two  corps  were  to  support  the  cavalry,  and  attempt  to 
flank  the  hostile  position  at  Petersburg ;  but  an  unexpected 
battle  occurred  on  the  27th,  by  an  attack  in  which  the 
enemy  carried  Fort  Steadman,  in  front  of  the  ninth  corps. 
The  assault  was  made  so  suddenly,  that  the  fort  was  at  once 
carried,  and  its  guns  turned  on  the  Union  troops.  Three 
mortar  batteries  near  it  were  also  captured.  The  Union 
troops  held  their  position  firmly  on  each  wing,  while  Hart- 
ran  ft 's  division  moved  up  to  assist  Wilcox  in  driving  tho 
rebels  out  of  the  captured  works,  from  which  they  retired 
as  the  Union  artillery  made  the  place  untenable,  and  many 
of  them,  dreading  to  retreat  under  a  fire  so  destructive,  laid 
down  their  arms.  Nineteen  hundred  prisoners  were  cap- 
tured by  the  Union  troops,  whose  loss  was  nine  hundred 
and  nineteen. 

General  Meade  ordered  an  advance  of  the  other  corps,  to 
feel  the  enemy's  line  in  front,  and  the  result  was  the 
capture,  in  front  of  the  Second  and  Sixth  corps,  of  eight 
hundred  and  thirty-four  prisoners.  The  time  for  a  decided 
movement  had  now  arrived,  and  the  days  of  the  Coufed- 


498  GRANT'S  INSTRUCTIONS  TO  SHMIDUT. 

eracy  were  already  numbered.  The  two  commander*, 
Generals  Grant  and  Sherman,  in  consultation,  agreed  that  the 
hitter  should  return  to  his  army,  and  making  a  feint  up  the 
Neuse  river  upon  Raleigh,  move  rapidly  north  to  the  lino 
of  the  Roanoke.  Grant  knew  that  on  the  approach  of 
Sherman  to  this  river,  the  rebel  chieftain  would  at  on  t 
evacuate  Richmond.  Fearing  lest,  after  the  evacuation  of 
Petersburg,  Lee  would  escape,  and  join  Johnston,  Grant  no* 
resolved  to  carry  out  his  original  plan,  of  the  movement 
on  the  Danville  railroad.  Accordingly,  on  the  night  of 
the  27th,  he  sent  two  divisions  of  Ord's  corps,  commanded  by 
General  Gibbon,  and  one  of  the  Twenty-fifth  corps,  under 
Birney,  together  with  McKensie's  cavalry,  to  Hatcher's  Run. 
General  Sheridan  received  the  following  instructions :  "  The 
Fifth  army  corps  will  move  by  the  Vaughn  road,  at  three  A.  M. 
to-morrow  morning.  The  Second  moves  at  about  nine  A. 
M.  having  but  about  three  miles  to  march  to  rea  ;h  the  point 
designated  for  it  to  take  on  the  right  of  the  Fifth  corps, 
after  the  latter  reaching  Dinwiddie  Court  House.  Move 
rour  cavalry  at  as  early  an  hour  as  you  can,  and  without 
being  confined  to  any  particular  road  or  roads ;  you  may  go 
out  by  the  nearest  roads  in  rear  of  the  Fifth  corps,  pass  by 
its  left,  and  passing  near  to  or  through  Dinwiddie,  reach 
the  right  and  rear  of  the  enemy,  as  soon  as  you  can.  It  is 
oot  the  intention  to  attack  the  enemy  in  his  intrenched 
position,  but  to  force  him  out  if  possible.  Should  he  come 
out  and  attack  us,  or  get  himself  where  he  can  be  attacked, 
move  in  with  your  entire  force,  in  your  own  way,  and  with 
the  full  reliance  that  the  army  will  engage  or  follow,  as 
circumstarces  will  dictate.  I  shall  be  on  the  field,  and  will 
probably  be  able  to  communicate  with  you.  Should  I  not 
do  so,  and  you  find  that  the  enemy  keeps  within  his  main 
intrenched  line,  you  may  cut  loose,  and  push  for  the 
Danville  road.  If  you  find  it  practicable,  I  would  like  you 
to  cross  the  South  Side  road,  between  Petersburg  and 
Burkesville,  and  destroy  it  to  some  extent.  I  would  not 
advise  much  detention,  however,  until  you  reach  the  Dan- 
ville road,  which  I  would  like  you  to  strike  as  near  to  the 
Appomattox  as  possible.  Make  your  destruction  on  that 
road  as  complete  as  possible ;  you  can  then  pass  to  the  South 
Side  road  west  of  Burkesville,  and  destroy  that  in  like 
manner  After  having  accomplished  the  destruction  of  the 


ATTACK    ON    THE   ENEMY'S    LIXES  499 

two  railroads,  which  are  now  the  only  avenues  of  supply  to 
Leo's  army,  you  may  return  to  this  army,  selecting  your 
road  further  south,  or  you  may  go  on  into  North  Carolinaj 
and  join  General  Sherman.  Should  you  select  the  latter 
course,  get  the  information  to  me  as  early  as  possible,  so 
that  1  may  send  orders  to  meet  you  at  Goldsboro.  (Signed) 
0".  S.  Grant,  Lieutenant-General." 

Tha  movement  began  on  the  morning  of  the  29th 
Sheriaan  moved  round  the  rebel  right,  and  reached  Din- 
widdie  Court  House,  that  night,  the  left  of  the  infantry  line 
extending  to  the  point  near  which  the  Quaker  road  joins 
the  Boydtown  plank  road.  Sheridan  was  on  the  extreme 
left,  and  next  him,  in  succession,  were  Warren,  Humphreys, 
Ord,  Wright,  and  Parke. 

General  Grant  seemed  now  to  be  able  to  reach  the  enemy's 
flank,  and  sent  word  to  Sheridan,  not  to  cut  loose,  and 
operate  against  the  railroads.  "  I  now  feel,"  said  he,  "  like 
ending  the  matter,  if  it  is  possible  to  do  so  before  going  back. 
We  will  act  together  as  one  army  here,  until  it  is  seen  what 
can  be  done  with  the  enemy." 

The  next  day,  rain  fell  so  copiously  as  to  render  it  im- 
possible for  artillery  or  trains  to  proceed.  Sheridan,  however, 
moved  toward  Five  Forks,  and  Warren  found  the  enemy 
in  force  on  the  White  Oak  road.  General  Grant's  intention 
was  at  this  juncture  to  give  Sheridan  a  corp  of  infantry  to 
move  round  the  enemy's  flank,  and  when  this  was  done,  to 
assault  the  front  with  the  other  corps.  On  the  morning  of 
the  31st,  Sheridan  obtained  possession  of  the  Five  Forks, 
and  Warren  moved  up  to  seize  the  White  Oak  road.  The 
enemy  attacked  Ayres'  division,  and  drove  it  back,  while 
Crawford  next  had  to  retire  on  the  third  division  under 
Bell,  where  the  progress  of  the  enemy  was  arrested.  War- 
ren, having  been  reinforced  by  a  division  of  the  second 
corps,  reformed  his  line,  and  repulsing  the  enemy  with 
great  loss,  gained  possession  of  the  White  Oak  road. 

The  Confederates,  in  great  force,  now  drove  Sheridan 
from  the  Five  Forks  back  to  Dinwiddie  Court  House.  The 
latter  general  deployed  his  cavalry  on  foot,  which  caused 
the  enemy  to  do  the  same,  and  being  reinforced  by  McKen- 
sie's  cavalry,  a  division  of  the  fifth  corps,  and,  later,  by  the 
other  two  of  the  fifth,  Sheridan  resumed  the  offensive  next 
morning,  and  moving  again  on  Five  Forks  drove  the  enanxy 


600  WKITZEL    ENTERS    RICHMOND. 

into  their  in  trench  ments.  The  fifth  corps  advancing,  routed 
the  enemy,  and  Merritt  assaulting  the  hostile  works,  carried 
them  at  several  points.  The  Confederates,  driven  from 
their  intrenchments,  were  completely  routed,  their  artillery 
captured  and  turned  upon  them,  and  upward  of  six  thou- 
sand prisoners  captured.  General  Warren  was  here  super- 
seded, and  his  command  given  to  General  Griffin.  General 
Giant  now  ordered  Miles'  division  of  Humphrey's  corps  to 
move  rapidly  and  reinforce  General  Sheridan,  and  the  ene 
iny's  lines  were  bombarded  continuously  during  the  night. 
In  a  general  assault,  next  morning,  the  army  swept  on,  and 
General  Wright  forced  the  line  in  his  front,  capturing  many 
guns,  and  several  thousand  prisoners.  Ord's  two  divisions, 
and  his  other  remaining  ones,  which  had  forced  the  enemy's 
lines  at  Hatcher's  Run,  now  joined,  and  the  two  corps  closed 
the  enemy  on  the  side  next  them,  in  Petersburg.  General 
Parke  carried  the  main  line  in  his  front,  and  partly  captured 
two  strong  works,  south  of  Petersburg.  The  lines  were  now 
shortened,  and  strengthened.  The  battle  raged  fiercely 
from  right  to  left,  and  on  Sunday,  April  2d,  affairs  were 
rapidly  approaching  a  crisis.  In  a  desperate  combat  of 
Hill's  corps,  to  regain  Fo^t  Mahone,  General  Hill  was  killed, 
and  Sheridan  coming  up  on  the  left,  and  rear,  the  enemy 
fled  in  dismay  with  the  loss  of  their  guns,  and  a  large  num- 
ber of  prisoners.  Richmond  and  Petersburg  were  both 
evacuated  that  night,  and  the  rebel  president,  Jefferson  Davis, 
fled  toward  Danville.  On  Monday  General  Weitzel,  with 
that  portion  of  the  Army  of  the  James  (partly  composed  of 
colored  troops)  under  his  command,  on  the  north  side  of  the 
James  river,  entered  Richmond  triumphantly,  capturing 
one  thousand  prisoners,  and  five  hundred  pieces  of  artillery. 
The  two  armies,  meanwhile,  had  a  race  for  Burke's  Station, 
which  Grant  reached  first.  It  is  fifty-three  miles  from 
Petersburg. 

On  the  6th  of  April,  Sheridan  found  that  Lee,  who  could 
aot  advance  by  railroad,  was  attempting  to  get  round  him 
to  the  west,  and  he  at  once  moved  out .  to  strike  him  in 
flank,  followed  by  the  Sixtb.  corps. 

The  Second  and  Fifth  corps  were  pressing  Lee  in  the  rear 
BO  closely,  as  to  compel  him  to  abandon  his  wagons  and 
artillery.  He  appeared  to  have  the  intention  of  striking  the 
railroad  at  Farmville,  and  General  Ord  now  moved  toward 


GRANT   DEMANDS   THE   SURRENDER   OF   LEI.  501 

that  point.  Two  infantry  regiments,  under  General  Read, 
which  were  hurried  forward  to  destroy  the  bridges  and  do- 
tain  the  foe,  encountered  the  head  of  Lee's  column  near  that 
place,  and,  in  a  gallant  assault,  checked  it  till  the  gallant 
Read  was  killed,  and  his  little  force  overcome.  General 
Ord  now  came  up  with  the  rest  of  the  corps,  and  the  enemy 
intrenched.  On  the  same  afternoon,  a  little  behind  this 
place,  Sheridan  assaulted  the  enemy,  and  captured  sixteen 
guns  and  four  hundred  wagons.  On  the  arrival  of  the  Sixth 
corps,  in  a  general  attack,  over  six  thousand  Confederates, 
were  captured,  among  whom  were  Generals  Ewell  and 
Custis.  Lee  was  now  pursued  toward  the  west,  with  every 
avenue  of  escape  closed.  General  Grant  arrived  at  Farm- 
ville,  and  sent  him  a  note,  dated  April  the  7th.  in  which 
he  alluded  to  the  events  of  the  past  week  as  affording 
conviction  of  the  uselessness  of  any  further  resistance 
on  the  part  of  the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia.  He  further 
stated  that  he  regarded  it  as  his  duty  to  shift  from  himself 
the  responsibility  of  further  effusion  of  blood,  by  asking  a 
surrender  of  that  part  of  the  Confederate  States'  army. 
Early  on  the  morning  of  the  8th,  General  Lee  replied  that, 
though  not  entertaining  the  opinion  of  the  hopelessness  of 
further  resistance,  he  desired  to  avoid  the  further  effusion 
of  blood,  and  wished,  before  a  consideration  of  General 
Grant's  proposal,  to  ask  the  terms  on  which  a  surrender 
would  be  received.  Grant  immediately  replied : 

"GENERAL:  Your  note  of  last  evening,  in  reply  to  mine 
of  same  date,  asking  the  condition  on  which  I  will  accept 
the  surrender  of  the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia,  is  just  re- 
ceived. In  reply,  I  would  say  that  peace  being  my  great 
desire,  there  is  but  one  condition  I  would  insist  upon 
namely :  that  the  men  and  officers  surrendered,  should  ba 
disqualified  for  taking  up  arms  against  the  Government  of 
the  United  States,  until  properly  exchanged.  I  will  meet 
you,  or  will  designate  officers  to  meet  any  officers  you  may 
name  for  the  same  purpose,  at  any  point  agreeable  to  you, 
for  the  purpose  of  arranging  definitely  the  terms  upon  which 
the  surrender  of  the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia  will  be 
received. 

"  U.  S.  GRANT,  Lieutenant-general 
R.  K. 


602  THE    CAPITULATION. 

The  pursuit  was  issumed  early  on  the  8th.  Genera, 
Meade  followed  the  Appomattox,  and  General  Sheridan 
with  all  the  cavaliy,  moved  direct  on  Appomattox- Station, 
followed  by  Ord's  command  and  the  Fifth  corps.  The  rear 
guard  of  the  enemy  and  Meade's  advance  had  considera- 
ble fighting  during  the  day,  but  no  general  engagement 
resulted.  Sheridan,  late  in  the  evening,  drove  the  enemy 
from  Appomattox  Station,  with  the  loss  of  twenty -five  guns 
a  hospital  train,  and  four  cars  loaded  with  army  supplies 
About  midnight  (on  the  8th),  General  Grant  received  a  com- 
munication from  Lee,  stating  that  he  did  not  think  that  the 
emergency  had  arisen  for  the  surrender  of  his  army,  but  as 
he  desired  peace,  wanted  to  know  whether  Grant's  proposals 
would  lead  to  that  end,  and  would  like  to  meet  him  at  ten 
A.  M.  next  day,  on  the  old  stage  road  to  Richmond,  between 
the  two  armies.  On  the  9th  of  April,  Grant  laid  down  as 
the  conditions  of  peace,  the  cessation  of  hostilities  on  the 
part  of  the  South.  On  the  morning  of  that  day,  General 
Ord's  command,  and  the  Fifth  corps,  arrived  at  Appomattox 
Station,  while  the  enemy  were  using  desperate  efforts  to 
break  through  the  Union  cavalry.  The  Federal  infantry 
were  at  once  thrown  in,  and  a  white  flag  soon  after  appeared 
from  General  Lee  to  desire  that  hostilities  should  cease. 
While  negotiations  for  a  surrender  were  pending,  an  inter- 
view was  held,  on  the  9th,  between  the  generals  at  Appo- 
mattox Court  House,  in  which  the  conditions  agreed  upon 
were  substantially  the  same  as  stated  in  General  Grant's 
first  letter,  as  before  mentioned.  All  public  property  was 
to  be  turned  over  to  the  United  States,  and  the  officers  were 
to  retain  their  side  arms,  private  horses,  and  baggage.  The 
rebel  army  had  been  reduced  in  the  last  few  days  by  the 
loss  of  thirty  thousand  men,  and  many,  also,  had  straggled 
oft  Less  than  twenty  thousand  now  remained  to  surrender. 

Great  joy  arose  throughout  the  army,  and  the  whole  coun- 
try was  filled  with  delight  at  the  news  of  the  capitulation 
This  was  followed  by  that  of  most  of  the  troops  in  the 
Slier. andoah  Valley,  including  the  guerilla  band  of  Mosby, 
who  surrendered  his  command  on  the  17th. 

General  Sherman  prepared  to  move  on  his  return  to 
Goldsboro,  and  was  ready  on  the  10th  of  April,  the  day  on 
which  Lee  surrendered.  He  was  about  moving  his  army 
toward  Roanoke,  when  the  news  reached  him  of  the  fall  of 


SURBEXDEB    OF    GENERAL   JOHNSTON.  503 

Petersburg  and  Richmond.  His  plans  required  to  be 
changed,  for  at  the  same  time  that  the  tidings  arrived,  there 
came  a  despatch  from  General  Grant,  dated  April  5th,  in 
which  the  hopelessness  of  Lee's  army  was  alluded  to,  with 
die  addition  that  he  (Sherman)  should  push  on,  and  thus 
Lee's  and  Johnston's  armies  might  be  crushed  at  the  same 
ime.  General  Sherman  now  wheeled  his  army  toward 
Raleigh,  forced  the  enemy  back,  and  destroyed  the  bridges 
.m  his  route.  He  had  marched  two  days,  and  on  the  third, 
urivoJ.  the  news  of  Lee's  surrender.  The  army  was  wild 
with  joy,  and  General  Sherman  exclaimed,  "Glory  to  God, 
and  our  glorious  country  I"  The  army  encamped  within 
fourteen  miles  of  Raleigh,  and  Sherman  next  day  entered 
the  city. 

On  the  15th  of  April,  General  Johnston,  having  heard  of 
Lee's  surrender,  sent  General  Sherman  a  letter  in  order  to 
see  if  some  arrangement  could  not  be  made  to  save  the  effu- 
sion of  blood.  Sherman  replied  that  he  was  willing  to  hear 
any  terms  which  he  proposed.  Johnston  then  requested  a 
personal  interview,  and  in  a  meeting  next  day  on  the  road, 
the  two  chieftains  cordially  shook  hands,  and  entered  an 
adjoining  farm  house  for  consultation.  On  Sherman  refusing 
an  armistice  for  four  days,  the  next  day  was  appointed  for  a 
meeting  to  arrange  the  terms  of  surrender.  General  John 
C.  Breckinridge,  the  rebel  Secretary  of  War,  was  present  at 
the  interview,  and  suggested  that  it  would  be  to  the  interest 
of  al  1  concerned  to  adopt  some  basis  of  peace.  Both  parties 
signed  a  memorandum  contemplating  this,  and  hostilities 
were  suspended  until  the  Government  at  Washington  should 
ratify  or  reject  the  measure.  The  memorandum  was  rejected 
by  the  President  and  Cabinet,  and  General  Sherman  was 
o/dered  to  resume  hostilities  immediately,  unless  General 
Johnston  should  surrender  on  the  same  terms  as  had  beer 
accepted  by  General  Lee.  Meanwhile,  General  Grant  pro 
ceeded  to  North  Carolina,  to  direct  affairs  in  person.  When 
Johnston  was  informed  of  the  decision  made  by  the  Govern 
ment,  he  surrendered  his  immediate  command,  and  all  the 
rebel  forces  between  hin>  and  the  Chattahoochee,  on  the 
game  terras  as  were  granted  Lee.  Many  of  the  Confederate 
soldiers  had  left  for  their  homes  during  the  armistice,  and 
on  the  26th  of  April,  the  day  on  which  the  surrender  waa 
made,  only  twenty-seven  thousand  men  remained  to  lay 


604  PRESIDENT   LINCOLN    1 SSASSIJTLTID. 

down  their  arms.  The  artillery  thus  captured,  amounted 
to  one  hundred  and  eight  pieces.  Before  the  surrender, 
Johnston's  army  had  been  placed  in  imminent  peril. 

General  Stoneman,  leaving  Knoxville  on  the  20th  of 
March,  moved  rapidly,  passed  Boone,  North  Carolina, 
and  struck  the  railroad  at  Wytheville,  Chambersburg,  and 
Big  Lick.  Part  of  the  column  nearly  reached  Lynchburg 
The  main  body  broke  up  the  railroad  between  New  rivsr 
and  Big  Lick,  and  then  wheeled  off  to  Greensboro,  burning 
the  bridges  on  the  way  to  Danville,  and  between  Greena- 
boro  and  the  Yadkin,  destroying  the  rebel  depots  of  supplies, 
and  capturing  four  hundred  prisoners.  Stoneman,  crossing 
the  Yadkin,  then  moved  on  Salisbury,  where  he  attacked  aad 
defeated  General  Gardiner,  with  the  loss  of  fourteen  pieces 
of  artillery,  and  one  thousand  three  hundred  and  sixty-foar 
prisoners.  He  was  now  only  one  hundred  miles  fron? 
Raleigh,  on  the  line  of  Johnston's  supplies,  and  that  on 
which  he  would  retreat.  After  destroying  the  rebel  stores, 
and  fifteen  miles  of  the  railroad  toward  Charlotte,  he  pio- 
ceeded  to  Statesville — so  completely  had  General  Grant  kid 
his  plans,  in  order  to  make  the  campaign  decisive. 

While  these  victories  were  filling  the  nation  with  univi  r 
sal  rejoicings,  it  was  destined  to  be  overwhelmed  with  the 
deepest  grief  almost  at  the  same  moment,  by  the  assassination, 
on  the  night  of  the  14th  of  April,  of  Abraham  Lincoln, 
President  of  the  United  States.  In  company  with  his  wife, 
he  was  taking  some  relaxation  from  the  busy  cares  of  State, 
at  Ford's  Theatre,  in  Washington,  when  John  Wilkes  Booth, 
a  play  actor,  rushing  into  the  private  box,  shot  him  in  the 
back  of  the  head,  jumped  on  the  stage  and  brandishing  a  dag- 
ger, cried  "  Sic  semper  tyrannis"  and  then  made  his  escape  by 
a  side  door.  The  assassin  was  afterwards  pursued,  an  immense 
reward  being  offered  by  the  nation  for  his  capture,  and  in 
less  than  two  weeks  from  the  date  of  the  foul  deed,  waa 
traced  up  to  a  barn,  in  which  he  had  taken  refuge.  Refusing 
to  deliver  himself  up  to  his  pursuers,  and  preferring  death 
rather  than  capture,  he  was  shot  by  Sergeant  Boston 
Corbett,  and  survived  but  an  hour. 

The  funeral  rites  of  the  martyred  President  were  cele- 
brated at  the  Executive  Mansion,  on  the  19th  of  April,  and 
the  remains  lay  in  state  in  the  Capitol  till  the  2 1st,  when 
they  were  conveyed  to  Springfield,  Illinois.  The  whole 


THE  CONSPIRATORS   TRIED   AND   CONVICTID.          606 

nation  went  into  mourning,  and  this  good  man,  universally 
lamented  as  a  true  patriot,  and  possessed  of  an  honest  and 
upright  principle  of  action,  will  be  held  in  cherished  memory 
of  the  American  people  forever. 

On  the  same  night  that  President  Lincoln  was  assassin 
ated,  Mr.  William  H.  Seward,  Secretary  of  State,  while  sick 
in  bed,  was  attacked  by  another  assassin,  and  dangerously 
wounded.  He  afterwards  recovered.  Hia  son,  the  Assistant 
Secretary,  was  also  nearly  assassinated  at  the  same  time 
Booth  had  many  accomplices,  who  on  the  10th  of  May  were 
arrested,  and  tried  by  a  military  tribunal.  The  trial  lasted 
two  months,  and  unveiled  a  plot  to  murder  Mr.  Lincoln,  Mr. 
Seward,  General  Grant,  and  others.  Harrold,  Payne,  Atze- 
roth,  and  Mrs.  Surratt,  were  found  guilty  of  murder,  and 
hung  in  Washington  on  the  7th  of  July.  Dr.  Mudd,  Arnold, 
and  O'Laughlin,  were  sentenced  to  imprisonment  for  life, 
and  Spangler  to  six  years  imprisonment  at  hard  labor. 

A  few  hours  after  the  death  of  Mr.  Lincoln,  Andrew 
Johnson,  the  Vice  President,  was  installed  into  the  ofikse 
thus  rendered  vacant. 

As  Sherman  was  moving  on  Goldsboro,  on  the  20th  cf 
March,  Canby  was  beginning  his  movements  against  Mo- 
bile, in  the  bay  of  which  many  light-draught  vessels  were 
collected  to  enable  the  naval  force  to  co-operate  with  the 
land  forces.  General  A.  J.  Smith  proceeded  with  his  troops 
from  Fort  Gaines  to  Fish  river  by  water,  and  was  there 
joined  by  Granger  and  the  Thirteenth  corps  from  For. 
Morgan,  while  Steele  with  his  command  also  joined  them 
by  a  march  across  from  Pensacola,  destroying  in  his  route 
the  railroad  from  Tensas  to  Montgomery.  The  army 
marched  up  on  the  east  side  of  the  bay.  Spanish  Fort  and 
Fort  Blakeley  prevented  the  approach  of  the  gunboats  to 
Mobile.  The  first  was  to  be  captured  by  a  combined  attack, 
naval  and  military.  The  naval  forces  were  to  engage  the 
water  batteries,  while  the  land  forces  assailed  the  works  in 
the  rear.  The  heavy  siege  guns  being  brought  up,  on  the 
4th  of  April  the  bombardment  commenced.  Another  bom- 
bardment was  ordered  on  the  8th,  to  be  followed  by  a  gen- 
eral assault  at  five  o'clock,  P.  M.  After  a  terrible  fire  for 
three  hours,  two  brigades  of  Carr's  division,  charging  in  a 
fierce  assault,  scaled  the  rampart  with  cheers  and  took  poa 
•eaeion  of  three  hundred  yards  of  the  works,  in  which  thej 
41 


60$  CAPTURE    OF   MOBIL1. 

secured  themselves  IL  .rder  to  finish  the  conquest  at  day 
light ;  but  the  garrison,  at  one  o'clock,  A.  M.,  capitulated 
On  the  same  day,  General  Steele  assaulted  Fort  Blakely, 
four  miles  north  of  the  other  fort  and  twelve  miles  from 
Mobile.  The  despatch  announcing  the  fall  of  Petersburg 
and  Richmond,  and  the  flight  of  Lee,  was  read  to  the  troops 
with  the  orders  for  the  assault.  Cheers  rent  the  air,  and 
the  gallant  troops  moved  forward  to  the  fight,  tho  brunt  of 
which  was  borne  by  General  Garrard's  division.  Under  a 
terrible  fire,  the  troops,  for  an  hour,  removed  obstructions 
while  torpedoes  were  bursting  under  their  feet  nearly  every 
minute.  The  obstructions  were  removed,  and  the  troops, 
with  a  shout,  leaped  the  ditch  and  scaled  the  works — those 
of  Colonel  Rinneken  and  General  Gilbert  entering  at  once, 
and  the  colored  troops  of  Hawkins  behaving  with  great  gal- 
lantry. The  national  flag  floated  on  the  ramparts  at  seven 
o'clock,  p.  M.  The  Union  loss  was  one  thousand ;  that  of 
the  enemy  five  hundred,  with  three  thousand  prisoners, 
four  thousand  stand  of  arms,  and  thirty-two  pieces  of  ar- 
tillery. Two  days  were  now  spent  in  removing  torpedoes 
by  the  navy,  and  in  reconnoissances  by  the  land  forces.  The 
troops  were  moving  on  Mobile,  on  the  12th,  when  a  signal 
indicated  its  evacuation  by  the  enemy. 

Of  the  Union  fleet,  two  heavy  iron -clad  vessels,  two  tin 
clads,  and  a  transport,  were  destroyed  by  torpedoes.  The 
cotal  loss  before  the  place  was  two  thousand  soldiers  and 
fifty  seamen.  Four  hundred  pieces  of  artillery  were  cap- 
tured from  the  enemy.  In  connection  with  the  movement 
against  Mobile,  was  General  Wilson's  raid  east  from  Vicks- 
burg  with  twelve  thousand  five  hundred  cavalry.  After  a 
delay  from  rains,  on  the  22d  of  March  he  moved  from  Chick- 
asaw,  Alabama,  and  on  the  1st  of  April,  encountering  the 
rebels  under  Forrest  at  Ebenezer  Church,  routed  them ,  with 
the  loss  of  three  hundred  prisoners  and  three  guns.  The 
centre  bridge  over  the  Cahawba  was  destroyed,  and  Wilson, 
next  day,  attacked  and  captured  the  fortified  city  of  Selma, 
again  routing  Forrest,  who  had  seven  thousand  men,  and 
thirty  two  guns.  The  arsenal,  armory,  naval  foundry,  machine 
shops,  and  a  vast  quantity  of  stores,  were  destroyed,  and 
three  thousand  prisoners  captured.  Wilson  also  captured  and 
destroyed  Tuscaloosa  on  the  4th  of  April,  and  on  the  10th, 
crossed  the  Alabama  river.  On  the  14th,  he  occupied  Alabama, 


COLLAPSE    OF    THK    CONFEDERACY.  60* 

where  many  stores,  and  five  steamboats  fell  into  his  hands 
On  the  16th,  Columbus  and  West  Point  were  assaulted  and 
captured.  At  the  former  place,  the  patriots  took  fifteen 
hundred  prisoners  and  fifty-two  field  guns;  they  also 
destroyed  two  gunboats,  the  navy  yard,  foundries,  arsenal 
stores,  and  much  public  property.  At  West  Point,  three 
hundred  prisoners,  four  guns,  and  nineteen  locomotives 
were  captured,  and  three  hundred  cars  destroyed.  On 
the  20th,  Macon,  Georgia,  was  taken,  together  with  sixty 
field  guns,  one  thousand  two  hundred  militia,  and  five 
generals,  surrendered  by  General  Howell  Cobb. 

General  Wilson,  on  the  10th  of  May,  captured,  at  Irwins- 
ville,  Jefferson  Davis,  President  of  the  "  Confederacy."  Thia 
was  one  of  the  most  remarkable  raids  during  the  war,  but 
created  little  excitement  after  the  surrender  of  the  great 
armies.  On  the  4th  of  May,  Dick  Taylor  surrendered,  to 
General  Canby,  all  the  rebel  forces  which  remained  east  of 
the  Mississippi.  Kirby  Smith,  west  of  that  river,  surren- 
dered to  General  Canby  on  the  26th  of  May,  and  in  Novem- 
ber, the  pirate  Shenandoah  surrendered  to  an  English  man- 
of- war  in  the  Mersey.  Thus  quickly,  with  the  fall  of  Lee's 
and  Johnston's  armies,  the  mighty  rebellion  collapsed.  The 
war  was  ended,  and  the  reign  of  peace  once  more  began. 

The  two  great  armies  of  Grant  and  Sherman  were  re- 
viewed in  Washington  on  the  23d  and  24th  of  May,  in  the 
presence  of  the  newly  inaugurated  President,  the  Cabinet^ 
and  the  foreign  Ministers.  It  was  a  magnificent  spectacle, 
but  not  more  so  than  the  disbandment  peacefully  of  these 
powerful  legions,  who  retired  each  to  his  family  circle  and 
friends,  secure  and  happy  under  the  old  flag,  and  once  more 
in  the  enjoyment  of  those  blessings  of  peace  showered  on 
the  nation  by  a  beneficent  Providence. 

"  The  Union  must  and  shall  be  preserved." 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES 


or 


CHE  PRINCIPAL   ACTORS  IN  THE  GREAT  CIVIL  WiB 

ABRAHAM  LINCOLN  was  born  in  Kentucky,  on 
the  12th  of  February,  1809.  His  parents  removed  in  1816  to 
Indiana,  where  he  first  used  "  his  axe  to  clear  the  forest."  Ii« 
removed  in  1830  to  Decatur,  Illinois,  and  in  1834  was  elected 
to  the  Legislature,  and  re-elected  in  1836  and  1838.  He 
was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1836,  and  in  1837  removed  to 
Springfield.  In  1844,  he  canvassed  the  State  for  Henry 
Clay,  and  in  1846  was  elected  to  Congress,  as  representative. 
In  1849,  he  was  a  candidate  for  United  States  Senator;  in 
1856,  he  received  one  hundred  and  ten  votes  of  the  Republi- 
can Convention  for  Vice-President,  and  in  1858  was  nomi- 
nated for  United  States  Senator,  but  was  defeated  by  Stephen 
A.  Douglas  by  eight  majority.  In  May,  1860,  he  was  nomi- 
nated for  the  Presidency,  to  which,  on  the  6th  of  Frebruary, 
1861,  he  was  elected  by  one  hundred  and  eighty  out  of 
,hree  hundred  and  three  electoral  votes.  His  inauguration 
took  place  March  4th,  1861.  The  capture,  on  the  14th  of 
April  in  that  year,  of  Fort  Sumter,  began  the  war.  Presi- 
dent Lincoln,  not  dreaming  of  the  magnitude  of  the  strug- 
gle thus  inaugurated,  called  for  only  seventy-five  thousand 
men  for  three  months,  and  summoned  Congress  in  extra 
session  for  July  4th.  On  the  22d  of  September,  1862,  he 
issued  his  preliminary  proclamation,  declaratory  of  his  inten- 
tion of  proclaiming  free  all  slaves  in  the  rebel  States,  on  the 
1st  of  January,  1863.  In  January,  1864,  he  appointed 
Major-general  Grant  lieutenant-general,  and  the  latter  now 
directed  the^novements  of  all  the  armies  of  the  United  States. 

The  victoiies  of  Sherman,  Thomas,  Sheridan,  Farragut, 
and  other  great  commanders,  had  led  to  the  fall  of  Peters- 
burg and  Richmond  in  the  spring  of  1865,  and  they  wera 
followed  by  Lee's  surrender.  The  day  after  the  occupation 
of  Richmond,  Mr.  Lincoln  entered  it,  and  after  spending  a 
day  there,  returned  to  City  Point,  thence  to  Washington, 
where  on  the  14th  of  April  he  was  assassinated  at  Ford's 
(506) 


MAJOR -GENERAL   W1NFIELD   SCOTT.  509 

theatre.  He  died  at  a  little  j.fter  seven  o'clock,  A.  if.,  on  tha 
15th,  lamented  by  the  nation  as  an  upright  and  honest  man, 
a  pure  patriot,  the  friend  of  the  people,  and  one  beloved  by 
his  countrymen. 

"  The  inflexible  integrity  of  Mr.  Lincoln  has  imprinted 
itself  upon  the  heart,  and  the  history  of  the  American  peo- 
ple, in  that  familiar,  but  honorable  epithet,  'Honest  Abe. 
Ilia  was  not  simply  a  commercial  honesty,  in  dollars  and 
cents,  but  honesty  in  opinion,  honesty  in  speech,  honesty 
of  purpose,  honesty  in  action.  When  about  to  assume  the 
grave  responsibilities  of  the  Presidency,  he  said  to  his  fel- 
low citizens,  '  I  promise  you  that  I  bring  to  the  work  a  sin- 
cere heart  Whether  I  will  bring  a  head  equal  to  the  heart 
will  be  for  future  ages  to  determine.'  " 

MAJOR-GENERAL  WINFIELD  SCOTT  was  born 
in  Petersburg,  Virginia,  June  13th,  1786.  He  was  educated 
at  William  and  Mary  College,  Virginia,  and  studied  the 
profession  of  law.  After  some  years  of  practice  in  his  pro- 
fession he  became  a  captain  in  the  light  artillery,  at  Baton 
Rouge,  Louisiana,  in  the  division  under  General  Wilkinson. 
For  some  free  remarks  respecting  his  superior  officer  he 
was  suspended,  and  returning  to  his  native  State,  studied 
his  profession  diligently  for  a  year.  In  July,  1812,  soon 
after  the  outbreak  of  the  war  with  England,  he  was  appoin- 
ted Lieutenant-colonel  and  sent  to  the  Canadian  frontier. 
He  participated  in  the  battle  of  Queenstown,  where  he  was 
taken  prisoner. 

Being  shortly  afterward  exchanged,  he  acted  as  adjutant- 
general,  under  General  Dearborn,  with  the  rank  of  colonel, 
and  commanded  the  surf  boats  in  the  combined  land  and 
naval  attacks  on  Fort  George,  May  the  27th,  1813.  In  this  en- 
gagement he  was  seriously  injured. 

When,  in  the  autumn  of  1813,  General  Wilkinson  de- 
scended the  St.  Lawrence  in  an  expedition  against  Montreal, 
Scott  led  the  advance.  He  was  made  a  brigadier-general 
in  the  spring  of  1814,  and  having  joined  a  camp  of  instruc- 
tion at  Buffalo,  introduced  the  French  tactics.  The  effi- 
ciency of  his  command  became  soon  apparent.  In  conjunc- 
tion with  General  Ripley,  he  crossed  the  Niagara  river  on 
July  3d,  1814,  and  captured  Fort  Erie  and  part  of  its  ganri- 
•on.  Moving  on  Chippewa,  next  day,  and  skirmishing  aU 


510  BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 

the  way,  to  the  position  of  Riall,  the  British  general,  on  the 
6th,  the  battle  of  Chippewa  was  fought,  resulting  in  the  de- 
feat of  the  enernj.  Twenty  days  after  was  fought  the  bat 
tie  of  Lundy's  Lai  e,  in  which  Scott  was  severely  wounded, 
and  had  two  horses  shot  under  him.  On  the  close  of  the 
war,  he  declined  a  seat  in  the  cabinet,  and  was  promoted  to 
major-general.  He  was  sent  to  Europe  in  a  capacity  both 
military  and  diplomatic,  and  arrived  in  France  shortly  after 
the  battle  of  Waterloo. 

Several  military  works  from  his  pen  were  found  instruc- 
tive and  important,  and  were  introduced  into  the  army  of 
the  United  States.  He  participated  in  the  war  with  the 
Indians  in  1832,  and  captured  the  head  chief  Black  Hawk. 
In  the  same  year,  the  Nullification  troubles  in  South  Caro- 
lina required  great  prudence  in  the  commanders  of  the 
forces  in  the  harbor  of  Charleston,  and,  in  this  capacity, 
Scott  was  conspicuous  for  boldness,  decision,  and  energy. 
He  commanded  in  the  Seminole  war  in  1835-1842. 

The  troubles  in  the  Cherokee  country,  in  1838,  were 
successfully  terminated  through  his  influence.  The  Cana- 
dian rebellion,  in  1837,  threatened  our  amicable  relations 
with  Great  Britain,  and  in  the  spring  of  1839,  through  the 
influence  of  General  Scott,  the  boundary- question  was  ad- 
justed, and  finally  settled  in  1842  by  treaty.  On  the  death 
of  General  Macomb,  in  1841,  General  Scott  became  comman- 
der-in-chief  of  the  army  of  the  United  States.  In  the  war 
with  Mexico,  the  battles  of  Vera  Cruz,  Cerro  Gordo, 
Contreras,  Cherubusco,  Chapultepec,  the  San  Cosme  Gate 
of  the  city  of  Mexico,  and  other  places,  testify  to  the  valor 
Df  this  veteran. 

In  1852  he  received  one  million  three  hundred  and  eighty- 
six  thousand  five  hundred  and  eighty  votes  of  the  Whig 
party,  for  the  Presidency,  but  was  unsuccessful.  He  was 
breveted  lieutenant-general  in  1855.  In  1859  there  arose 
disputes  with  Great  Britain  respecting  the  boundary  line 
through  the  Straits  of  Fuca,  and  General  Scott,  being  sent 
to  that  distant  locality,  settled  the  differences.  In  1861  he 
gave  all  his  influence  and  services  to  the  cause  of  his  coun- 
try, secured  the  safe  inauguration  of  Abraham  Lincoln, 
defended  the  national  capital,  organized  the  army,  and  in 
advanced  age,  retired  from  active  service,  November  1st, 
1861.  He  died  at  West  Point*  in  July,  1666,  universally 
lamented  bj  the  nation. 


9RAKT — SBKBIUJT.  611 

GENERAL  ULYSSES  S.  GRANT  was  born  in  Cler 
luont  county,  Ohio,  in  1822,  entered  West  Point  in  1839, 
and  graduated  in  1843.  He  became  brevet  second  lieutenant, 
served  during  the  Mexican  war,  under  General  Taylor,  and 
under  General  Scott  on  the  march  from  Vera  Cruz  to  the 
city  of  Mexico.  During  the  war  he  received  two  promotions 
for  meritorious  services.  He  was  appointed  a  regimental 
quartermaster,  and  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  captain  in 
the  Fourth  regular  infantry,  in  1854.  Retiring  from  the 
service,  he  removed  to  St.  Louis  county,  Missouri,  and  finally 
to  Galena,  where  he  carried  on  the  business  of  a  tanner.  On 
the  outbreak  of  the  war,  his  tender  of  services  was  accepted 
by  Governor  Yates,  and  he  was  appointed  colonel  of  the 
Twenty-first  regiment  of  Illinois  volunteers.  He  was  soon 
after  made  a  brigadier-general,  and  was  engaged  actively  in 
the  earlier  battles  in  Missouri.  His  occupation  of  Paducah 
and  gallantry  in  the  battle  of  Belmont,  procured  for  him 
the  rank  of  a  major-general.  His  renown  was  increased  by 
the  capture  of  Forts  Henry  and  Donelsori,  and  that  of 
Vicksburg  raised  his  reputation  to  a  very  high  degree.  His 
career,  during  his  command  of  the  Department  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi, was  a  series  of  glorious  triumphs;  and  when  he 
was  put  in  command  of  all  the  armies  of  the  United  States, 
with  the  title  of  lieutenant-general,  he  nobly  struggled  with 
difficulties  almost  insurmountable,  and  with  a  heroism,  a 
pertinacity,  and  a  success,  which  place  him  among  the 
greatest  conquerors  the  world  has  ever  seen.  He  now  re- 
ceived the  title  of  full  general,  and  deservedly  is  held  in  the 
highest  degree  of  estimation  by  his  countrymen,  of  all 
classes,  as  a  hero  and  a  patriot.  His  fellow-citizens  fre- 
quently testified  their  appreciation  of  his  distinguished 
services  in  a  most  substantial  manner. 

LIEUTENANT-GENERAL  WILLIAM  TECUMSEH 
SHERMAN  was  born  in  Lancaster,  Ohio,  February  8th, 
1820.  Losing  his  parents  at  an  early  age,  he  was  adopted, 
in  1829,  by  Hon.  Thomas  Ewing,  entered  West  Point,  and 
graduated  sixth  of  his  class,  in  June,  1840.  He  was  sent  as 
second  lieutenant  to  Florida,  where  he  became  first  lieu- 
tenant in  1841,  and  afterwards,  being  sent  to  Charleston 
Harbor,  remained  on  duty  at  Fort  Moultrie  for  severai 
/ears.  He  served  in  California  in  1846,  and  received  the 


612  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES. 

brevet  of  captain  in  1848.  In  1860,  he  was  made  captain 
and  served  in  St.  Louis,  after  which  he  was  commissary  at 
the  military  post  of  New  Orleans.  He  left  the  army  in 
September,  1853,  and  was  manager  of  a  banking  house  in 
San  Francisco,  California,  for  four  years.  He  became,  in 
1357,  Superintendent  of  the  State  Military  Institute  of 
Louisiana,  and  when,  in  1861,  he  found  that  the  school  was 
usel  to  aid  rebellion,  he  resigned^  his  office,  and  went  to  St. 
Louis.  In  June,  1861,  he  was  made  colonel  of  the  Thir- 
teenth infantry,  and  displayed  great  gallantry  in  the  com 
mand  of  one  of  Tyler's  brigades,  at  the  battle  of  Bull  Run. 
In  August,  1861,  he  was  made  brigadier-general  of  volun- 
teers, and  was  sent  to  report  to  General  Robert  Anderson, 
in  the  Department  of  the  Ohio.  The  health  of  the  latter 
failing  him,  he  resigned,  and  Sherman  succeeded  to  the 
command.  Requiring  reinforcements,  a  demand  which  the 
War  Department  deemed  absurd,  General  Sherman,  at  his 
own  request,  was  relieved  of  the  command,  and  succeeded 
by  Buell,  who  was  reinforced  with  more  troops  than  Sher- 
man had  requested.  He  now  served  at  Benton  Barracks, 
St.  Louis,  was  sent  by  Halleck  with  reinforcements  and 
supplies  to  aid  Grant  at  the  siege  of  Fort  Donelson,  and 
finally  was  placed  in  command  of  the  Fifth  division  of 
Grant's  army,  with  which  he  fought  gallantly,  April  6th 
and  7th,  1862,  at  the  battle  of  Shiloh.  He  was  soon  pro- 
moted to  the  rank  of  major-general,  captured  Holly  Springs, 
Mississippi,  June  20th,  1862,  and  soon  after  commanded  at 
Memphis.  In  December,  1862,  his  attack  on  Chickasaw 
Bluffs  failed,  for  want  of  the  co-operation  of  General  Grant, 
whose  base  of  supplies  at  Holly  Springs  being  captured,  he 
was  unable  to  give  the  expected  aid.  At  the  capture  of 
Arkansas  Post,  and  in  the  operations  against  Vicksburg, 
Sherman  displayed  great  ability  and  heroism.  Soon  after, 
he  was  appointed  to  the  command  of  the  Army  of  the  Ten- 
nessee. He  reached  Chattanooga  on  the  15th  of  November, 
und  raised  the  siege  of  Knoxville.  In  his  command  of  the 
Military  Division  of  the  Mississippi,  Sherman  exhibited 
great  military  capacity.  His  Atlanta  campaign  was  a  series 
of  conflicts  with  the  enemy,  and  the  march  tc  the  sea  is  one 
of  the  most  remarkable  ever  recorded.  The  movements 
through  the  Carolinas  were  executed  with  great  strategic 
ability,  and  the  battles  of  Waynesboro,  Avervsboro,  and 


MAJOR-GENERIC   rtilLlP   HKNBY   SHERIDAN.          61$ 

BeutoLville,  were  the  expiring  efforts  of  the  "  Confederacy." 
Sherman,  at  a  later  date,  becdrae  lieutenant-general,  upcn 
Grant's  promotion  to  the  full  grade  of  general  of  the  armies 
of  the  United  States. 

MAJOR-GENERAL  PHILIP  HENEY  SHERIDAN 
was  born  in  Perry  County,  Ohio,  in  1831.  He  graduated  at 
West  Point  in  1853,  and  as  brevet  second  lieutenant,  was 
sonc  to  Texas.  In  the  spring  of  1855,  he  was  exchanged 
into  another  regiment,  and  ordered  to  San  Francisco.  He 
remained  six  years  on  the  Pacific  coast,  and  won  the  confi- 
dence of  the  Indian  tribes.  In  1861,  he  was  promoted  to 
first  lieutenant.  When  the  war  commenced,  he  was  cap- 
tain in  the  Thirteenth  United  States  infantry,  stationed  at 
St.  Louis,  and  was  made  acting-quartermaster  under  Gene- 
ral Curtis.  He  became  colonel  of  cavalry  in  1862,  and  with 
his  regiment,  on  the  14th  of  July  of  that  year,  defeated  a 
rebel  brigade,  and  was  made  brigadier-general  of  volunteers, 
to  date  from  July  1st,  1862.  October  8th,  he  held  the  key 
of  the  Union  position  at  Perryville,  and  saved  the  army 
from  defeat.  He  displayed  great  heroism  at  the  battle  of 
Stone  river,  and  for  meritorious  services  therein,  was  made 
major-general  of  volunteers.  He  warded  off  serious  disaster 
from  Wood's  corps,  at  the  battle  of  Chickamauga,  where,  as 
well  as  at  Chattanooga,  his  bravery  shone  conspicuous.  In 
the  severe  march  of  Sherman,  to  raise  the  seige  of  Krfox- 
ville,  he  accompanied  that  general.  Lieutenant-general 
Grant,  on  assuming  the  command  of  all  the  armies,  made 
him  chief  of  the  cavalry  corps  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac, 
and  he  conducted  two  successful  expeditions  in  the  rebel 
rear.  In  the  summer  of  1864,  he  was  placed  in  command 
of  the  Army  of  the  Shenandoah  valley,  where  he  won  un- 
fading laurels,  defeating  Early  in  several  battles.  In  March, 
1 865,  be  moved  up  the  Shenandoah  to  Staunton  and  Waynes- 
boro,  routed  Early  again,  and  destroyed  the  enemy's  com 
munications,  together  with  fifty  million  dollars'  worth  of 
property.  He  then  marched  by  way  of  the  White  House, 
and  joined  Grant  on.  the  27th  of  March.  The  capture  of 
Five  Forks,  and  the  surrender  of  General  Lee,  were  in  a 
great  measure  due  to  Sheridan.  He  was  sent  to  Texas  to 
command  an  army  of  eighty  thousand  men,  against  Kirbj 
Smith,  and  on  the  27th  of  June,  1865,  was  appointed  com 


614  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES. 

mander  of  the  Military  Division  of  the  Gulf,  with  his  head- 
quarters at  New  Orleana 

MAJOR  GENERAL  IRWIN  McDOWELL,  of  Ohio, 
entered  West  Point  in  1834,  and  graduated  in  1838.  He 
«ras  breveted  a  second  lieutenant  of  artillery  in  July  of  that 
/ear,  and  became  assistant  instr actor  of  infantry  tactics  at 
West  Point  from  September  to  November,  1841.  He  served 
as  adjutant  at  the  same  post  until  October,  1845,  from  which 
date  he  acted  as  adjutant  to  General  Wool  until  May,  1847. 
He  took  an  active  part  in  the  Mexican  war,  and  for  mentori 
ous  conduct  in  the  battle  of  Beuna  Vista,  February  23d,  1847, 
was  breveted  captain.  He  was  made  adjutant-general,  with 
the  rank  of  captain,  in  May  of  the  same  year,  and  relin- 
quished his  rank  in  the  line  in  February,  1851.  Afterward, 
he  offered  his  services  to  Governor  Dennison,  of  Ohio,  who  did 
not  accept  them  at  the  time.  At  a  later  date,  on  the  recom- 
mendation of  General  Scott,  he  was  made  a  brigadier-general 
He  was  an  aide  of  Scott  for  several  years.  At  the  disastrous 
battle  of  Bull  Run,  July  21,  1861,  McDowell  commanded 
the  army,  and  during  the  campaign  on  the  Peninsula, 
the  Department  of  the  Rappahannock.  On  the  24th 
of  May,  he  was  ordered  to  proceed  to  the  aid  of  General 
Banks.  McDowell  received  from  General  Pope  official 
commendation  for  the  prompt  and  skilful  manner  in  which 
he  brought  up,  and  handled  his  troops  at  the  battle  of  Cedar 
Mountain.  On  Friday,  the  8th  of  August,  he  took  command 
of  all  the  forces  then  at  Culpepper.  In  the  various  battles 
during  Pope's  campaign,  General  McDowell  bore  an  active 
part,  and  proved  himself  an  able  and  skilful  officer.  On 
the  close  of  the  war,  he  was  appointed  to  the  command  of 
the  Department  of  California. 

MAJOR-GENERAL  GEORGE  BRINTON  McCLEL 

LAN  was  born  in  Philadelphia,  December,  1826.  He  on 
tered  West  Point,  where  he  ranked  second  in  his  class  foj 
merit  and  ability.  He  graduated  in  1846,  and  was  madt 
second  lieutenant  of  engineers  He  was  actively  engaged 
iu  the  war  with  Mexico,  landing  with  General  Scott  at  Ten. 
Cruz,  and  participating  in  all  the  battles  fought  by  the  Ut- 
ter. For  gallantry  at  Contreras  and  Cherubusco,  he  rer  oJveu 
the  brevet  of  first  lieutenant  in  August  1847,  anu  fa,  next 


MAJOR-GENERAL    GEORGE    BRINTON    MCCLELLAN.     515 

month,  that  of  captain,  for  heroic  valor  in  the  battles  of  Mo 
Una  del  Rey  and  Chapultepec.  In  May,  1848,  he  received 
the  further  promotion  of  commandant  of  sappers,  miners,  and 
pioneers.  At  the  end  of  the  war  he  returned  to  West  Point, 
and  there  remained  until  1851.  He  wrote  a  work  on  the 
bayonet  exercises,  which  became  a  standard,  and  in  the 
•summer  and  autumn  of  1851,  superintended  the  erection  of 
Fort  Delaware,  near  Philadelphia.  He  joined  the  exploring 
expedition  of  General  Marcy  to  the  Red  river,  in  the  spring 
of  1852,  and  afterward,  as  senior  engineer,  served  in  Texas. 
He  made  an  exploration  of  the  Cascade  Mountains,  with  spe- 
cial reference  to  a  Pacific  railroad,  and  performed  his  onerous 
duties  satisfactorily.  In  1854,  he  was  sent  on  a  secret  mis- 
sion to  the  West  Indies,  and  the  following  year  was  pro- 
moted to  a  captaincy  in  the  cavalry.  During  the  Crimean 
war,  he  was  appointed  by  Jefferson  Davis,  then  Secretary  of 
War,  to  make  observations  in  the  military  establishments 
of  Europe,  and  the  results  of  two  years  thus  employed,  were 
ably  exhibited  in  a  volume  published  hi  1857,  and  pro- 
nounced a  valuable  production.  On  his  return  from  Europe, 
McClellan  resigned  from  the  service,  became  Yice-president 
and  Chief-engineer  of  the  Illinois  Central  railroad,  and  sub- 
sequently, President  of  the  Ohio  and  Mississippi  railroad 
At  the  beginning  of  the  great  rebellion,  he  was  assigned  to 
the  command  of  the  Department  of  the  Ohio,  consisting  of 
that  State,  Illinois,  Indiana,  and  Western  Virginia.  In  the 
latter  place,  he  won  a  high  reputation  for  military  talent  and 
skill,  and  after  the  battle  of  Bull  Run,  was  appointed  com- 
mander of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  with  which,  for  a  con- 
siderable period,  his  history  is  identical.  The  task  of  or- 
ganizing, equipping,  arming,  and  disciplining  that  army,  de- 
volved on  McClellan.  He  led  it  to  Manassas,  to  the  siege 
of  Yorktown,  and  in  the  battles  of  Williamsport,  Fair  Oaks, 
and  Mechanicsville.  It  was  necessary  to  change  his  base 
from  the  York  to  the  James  river,  and  this  he  executed 
in  a  masterly  manner,  though  with  considerable  loss.  The 
battles  of  Games'  Mill,  Peach  Orchard,  Savage  Station, 
White  Oak  Swamp,  and  Malvern  Hill,  attested  the  heroism 
of  the  troops  composing  this  splendid  army.  General 
McClellan  afterward  won  the  viciory  of  South  Mountain, 
and  severely  punished  the  enemy  on  the  well  fought  field 
of  Antietam.  In  November,  1863,  he  was  superseded  by 


BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES. 

General  Burnside,  in  the  command  of  the  Army  of  the  Pa 
tomac.  Failing  in  his  aspirations  to  the  Presidency  of  the 
Republic,  he  resigned  from  the  army,  and  departed  on  a 
prolonged  sojourn  in  Europe. 

MAJOR-GENERAL  OLIVER  OTIS  HOWARD  wa» 
born  in  Kennebec  county,  Maine,  November  8th,  1830.  He 
was  educated  at  Bowdoin  College,  ranking  first  of  his  class. 
In  1850,  he  entered  West  Point,  and  graduated  June,  1854. 
He  was  made  brevet  second  lieutenant  of  ordnance,  and 
served  successively  in  Texas,  Florida,  and  at  the  United 
States  Arsenals  in  Georgia  and  Maine.  He  became  first 
lieutenant,  July  1st,  1857,  and  was  appointed  acting  assis- 
tant professor  of  mathematics  at  the  military  academy. 
At  the  battle  of  Bull  Run,  July  21,  1861,  he  led  his  regi 
ment,  the  third  Maine,  having  been  previously  appointed 
colonel  of  volunteers.  He  was  made  a  brigadier-general 
in  September,  and  was  wounded  at  the  battle  of  Fair  Oaks, 
after  which  his  arm  was  amputated.  He  led  his  brigade, 
which  was  part  of  Sumner's  corps,  at  Antietam,  Septembei 
17th,  1862.  He  commanded  the  first  division  of  tha 
second  army  corps  (Couch's),  and  lost  one  thousand  men  of 
his  brigade  at  Fredericksburg,  November  29th,  1862.  His 
commission  as  major-general  of  volunteers  bore  the  latter 
date,  and  he  was  given  the  command  of  the  second  division 
of  the  second  corps  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  In  April, 
1863,  he  superseded  Sigel  in  the  command  of  the  eleventh 
army  corps,  and  participated  in  the  battle  of  Chancellors- 
ville.  He  reaped  unfading  laurels  at  Gettysburg,  and  soon 
after  was  placed  in  command  of  the  second  army  corps.  In 
September,  1863,  he  reinforced  Rosecrans  with  his  corps 
at  Chattanooga,  and  participated  in  the  battle  of  Wauhatchie 
October  28th,  of  the  same  year.  Part  of  his  troops  aided 
General  Hooker  in  the  capture  of  Lookout  Mountain,  and 
with  two  divisions,  he  was  engaged  in  Sherman's  movement 
on  Fort  Buckner.  On  the  25th  of  November,  he  joined  the 
expedition  of  the  latter  to  raise  the  siege  of  Knoxville,  and 
participated  in  almost  all  the  battles  in  the  Atlanta  cam 
paign,  when,  at  the  death  of  the  lamented  McPherson,  he 
succeeded  him  in  command  of  the  army  of  the  Tennessee. 
In  his  command  of  the  right  wing  through  Georgia  and  the 
Carolinas.  and  in  the  battles  of  Averysboro  and  Bentonville 


BUTLER— SUMNER.  517 

he  was  greatly  distinguished.  General  Howard  is  the  mode* 
of  a  true  Christian  soldier.  On  the  close  of  the  war  he 
became  commissioner  of  the  Freedrnen's  Bureau. 

MAJOR-GENERAL  BENJAMIN  F.  BUTLER  wa» 
born  at  "Deerfield,  New  HampsHre,  in  1818,  and  graduated 
at  Waterville  College,  Maine.  He  studied  law,  and  having 
commenced  practice  at  Lowell,  Massachusetts,  gained  distinc- 
tion, and  was  remarkable  for  his  success  in  criminal  cases. 
He  supported  John  C.  Breckinridge  in  the  presidential  cam- 
paign of  1860.  When  the  war  commenced,  being  then  a 
brigadier  of  the  Massachusetts  Militia,  he  offered  his  services 
to  support  the  government,  and  was  stationed  at  Annapolis, 
where  his  energy  and  power  overawed  the  secessionists 
General  Butler  was  in  command  of  the  land  forces  in  the 
expedition  against  Hatteras  Inlet  in  August,  1861,  and 
captured  Forts  Hatteras  and  Clark,  with  their  garrisons. 
In  March,  1862,  with  much  energy  and  zeal,  he  raised  the 
volunteer  troops  which  formed  the  land  force  against  New 
Orleans.  After  the  bombardment  of  Forts'  Philip  and 
Jackson,  and  the  fall  of  New  Orleans,  Butler  landed  his 
troops  early  in  May,  and  undertook  the  administration  of 
the  city  with  a  zeal,  ability,  and  firmness  that  repressed 
secession,  restored  order,  and  brought  back  a  prosperous 
condition  of  affairs.  He  was  afterward  relieved  by  General 
Banks,  and  reporting  at  Washington  was  put  in  command 
of  the  Departments  of  Virginia  and  North  Carolina.  During 
the  siege  of  Petersburg  and  Richmond,  he  was  in  command 
of  the  army  of  the  James,  and  made  several  unsuccessful 
demonstrations  against  the  former  place.  After  the  unsuc- 
cessful attack  on  Fort  Fisher  in  December,  1864,  General 
Butler,  who  had  commanded  the  land  forces,  in  consequence 
of  the  failure,  was  removed  from  command. 

MAJOR-GENERAL  EDWIN  V.  SUMNER  was  born 
in  Boston,  Massachusetts,  in  1796,  and  entered  the  regu'ai 
service  of  the  United  States,  in  1819,  as  second  lieutenant  of 
infantry.  In  July,  1823,  he  was  made  first  lieutenant,  in 
1833,  captain  of  dragoons,  and  in  1846  major  of  the  same. 
In  the  Mexican  war  he  was  distinguished  for  bravery  at 
Cerro  Gordo,  Molina  Del  Rey,  and  Cherubusco,  being 
breveted  lisutenant-colonel,  and  colonel.  On  the  terra  ina 
44 


618  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES. 

tion  a:  that  war,  he  served  in  New  Mexico,  ana  at  a  later 
period,  against  the  Cheyenne  Indians.  In  the  time  of  the 
political  excitements  in  Kansas,  in  1856,  he  commanded  at 
Fort  Leavenworth.  General  Scott  selected  him  to  conduct 
President  Lincoln  from  his  home  at  Springfield  to  the 
national  capital,  before  the  inauguration.  In  1861,  Sumner 
was  made  a  brigadier-general,  in  command  of  a  division, 
and  when  the  army  of  the  Potomac  was  divided  into  corps 
he  commanded  the  second  corp-  composed  of  the  divisions 
of  Blenker,  Sedgwick,  and  Kichardson.  In  all  the  engage- 
ments of  the  Peninsula,  his  valor  was  conspicuous,  and  in 
July,  1862,  he  was  created  a  Major-general  of  volunteers. 
lie  exhibited  great  heroism  at  the  battles  of  Antietam,  and 
Fredericksburg.  While  on  his  way  to  the  southwest  to 
supersede  General  Curtis,  he  died  of  congestion  of  the 
lungs  at  Syracuse,  New  York,  March  21st,  1863.  He  bore 
a  high  character  as  a  patriot  and  a  soldier,  and  died  greatly 
lamented. 

MAJOR-GENERAL  GEORGE  GORDON  MEADE 
was  born  at  Cadiz,  in  Spain,  in  1816 ;  his  father  being  the 
United  States  Consul  at  the  latter  place.  He  graduated  at 
West  Point  in  June,  1835  ;  in  July  of  that  year  was  ap- 
pointed brevet  second  lieutenant,  and  was  fully  commis- 
sioned in  the  same  rank  in  December.  On  the  26th  of 
October,  1836,  he  resigned  from  the  service,  and  lived  in 
retirement  for  the  next  six  years,  when  in  May,  1842,  he 
re-entered  the  army  as  second  lieutenant  of  topographical 
engineers,  and  served  in  Mexico  with  distinction,  in  the 
battles  of  Palo  Alto  and  Monterey  ;  in  tne  latter  of  which 
he  rendered  such  services,  as  to  be  breveted  for  gallant  and 
meritorious  conduct.  In  August,  1851,  he  was  appointed 
first  lieutenant,  and  in  May,  1856,  captain  in  the  corps  of 
topographical  engineers,  and  was  employed  after  the  war 
witii  Mexico,  in  the  duties  connected  with  this  corps,  in  the 
surveys  of  the  northern  lakes,  and  other  similar  services. 
On  the  organization  of  the  Pennsylvania  Reserve  corps,  he 
was  appointed  %  brigadier-general  of  volunteers,  and  com- 
manded the  second  brigade,  being  commissioned  under  the 
date  of  August  31st,  1861.  He  superintended  the  erection 
of  Fort  Pennsylvania,  at  Tennallytown,  D.  C.,  and  in  the 
winter  of  1S62,  joir.ed  the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  On  the 


MAJOR-GENERAI     VMBKOSK    E.   BURNSIDK.  519 

18th  of  June,  1862,  he  was  made  major  of  topographica. 
engineers,  and  with  the  Pennsylvania  Reserves  participated 
in  the  battles  of  Mechanicsville  and  of  Games'  Mill.  Ha 
served  under  Franklin,  in  command  of  the  second  division 
of  the  First  army  corps,  on  the  left  wing  at  the  battle  of 
Fredericksburg,  where  his  bravery  was  conspicuous.  Two 
days  after  that  battle,  he  became  major-general  of  volunteers, 
his  commission  dating  from  the  29th  of  November,  1862. 
During  Hooker's  command  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac, 
Meade  commanded  the  Fifth  corps,  and  rendered  important 
services  in  the  bloody  battle  of  Chancellorsville.  In  June, 
1863,  he  was  chosen  as  the  commander  of  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac,  and  displayed  great  strategy  in  the  battle  of  Get- 
tysburg, and  afterward  served  with  great  distinction  till  the 
close  of  the  war 

MAJOR-GENERAL  AMBROSE  E.  BURNSIDE  was 
born  in  Indiana,  in  1824,  entered  West  Point,  and  graduated 
in  1847.  He  was  then  breveted  second  lieutenant ;  served 
in  Mexico  under  General  Robert  Patterson,  and  on  the  con 
elusion  of  the  war  at  Fort  Adams,  in  Newport  Harbor  m 
1849,  he  was  attached  to  Captain  Braxton  Bragg's  battery, 
and  was  on  frontier  service  several  years  in  New  Mexico. 
In  1851,  he  crossed  the  plains  from  the  Gila  river,  and  sub- 
sequently was  again  stationed  at  Fort  Adams.  Resigning 
from  the  army,  he  became  post  cashier  of  the  Land  Depart- 
ment of  the  Illinois  Central  railroad,  and  two  years  later, 
the  treasurer  of  the  company.  When  the  war  began,  he 
took  command  of  a  Rhode  Island  regiment,  and  participated 
in  the  disastrous  battle  of  Bull  Run.  He  commanded  the 
famous  "  Burnside  expedition,"  the  object  of  which  was  the 
capture  of  Roanoke  Island.  The  expedition  was  a  complete 
success,  resulting  m  the  conquest  of  Roanoke  Island,  and 
the  capture  of  a  large  force  of  the  enemy.  On -the  14th  of 
March,  'Burnside  attacked  the  defences  of  Newbern  success 
fully,  and  occupied  that  place.  He  displayed  great  intrepid- 
ity at  Antietam,  and  as  the  commander  of  his  gallant  corps, 
(the  Nin6;i),  in  other  battles  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac, 
He  succeeded  McClellan  in  command  of  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac,  November  5th,  1862.  The  attack  on  Freder- 
icksburg on  the  13th  of  December,  failed,  and  on  the  26th 
of  January,  1863,  Burnside  was  succeeded  in  command  by 


520  BIOQRAPHICAI    SKETCHES. 

Hooker.  In  August,  1864,  General  Burnside  was  relieved 
of  his  command,  and  thus  terminated  the  military  career  of 
this  gallant  soldier. 

MAJOR-GENERAL  JOSEPH  HOOKER  was  born  ii 
Massachusetts  in  1816,  entered  West  Point  in  18S3,  anc1 
graduated  creditably  in  1837.  He  became  second  lieuten 
ant  of  artillery,  and  in  February,  1838,  was  promoted  to  be 
first  lieutenant.  He  was  distinguished  in  the  battles  of 
Monterey  and  Chapultepec,  during  the  Mexican  war,  whew 
he  was  breveted  lieutenant-colonel.  He  afterward  resigned 
his  position  in  the  army,  and  engaged  in  commercial  and 
agricultural  pursuits  in  California.  In  May,  1861,  on  the 
outbreak  of  the  war,  he  was  made  brigadier-general  of  vol- 
unteers, and  displayed  great  bravery  under  McClellan  OP 
the  Peninsula,  where  he  commanded  a  division.  His  career 
under  General  Pope  was  brilliant,  and  at  the  battles  of 
South  Mountain  and  Antietam,  he  was  especially  distin- 
guished ;  in  the  latter  of  which  he  was  desperately 
wounded.  He  was  made  major-general  of  volunteers  in 
July,  1862,  and  brigadier-general  of  the  regular  army  in 
September  of  that  year.  He  succeeded  Burnside  in  com- 
mand of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  fought  the  battle  of 
Chancellorsville  in  May,  1863,  and  in  June  was  relieved 
bf  the  command  by  General  Meade,  and  transferred  to  the 
Army  of  the  West,  then  under  General  Grant,  where  he  dis- 
tinguished himself  in  several  severe  battles,  especially  in 
that  of  Lookout  Mountain. 

MAJOR-GENERAL  JOHN  C.  FREMONT  was  born 
in  Savannah,  Georgia,  January,  1815,  entered  the  Junior  class 
of  Charleston  College,  South  Carolina,  at  the  age  of  fifteen, 
and  was  remarkable  for  proficiency  in  mathematics.  He  taught 
this  branch  on  board  the  United  States  sloop  of  war  Natchez, 
in  1833,  and  held  the  position  for  two  years.  He  then  waa 
engaged  in  surveying  the  route  from  Charleston  to  Cincinnati, 
In  1838-39,  he  explored  the  country  between  the  river  Mis- 
Bouri  and  the  British  line,  during  which  period  he  was  made 
lieutenant  of  topographical  engineers.  Next  year  he  sur- 
veyed the  head  waters  of  the  Missouri  and  the  Pacific,  and  in 
1845  explored  the  regions  of  Oregon,  California,  and  the 
Sierra  Nevada.  He  was  made  colonel  o£  a  regiment  of 


MAJOR-GENERAL   WILLIAM   S.   ROSECRAN8.  621 

mounted  riflemen  in  1846,  and  in  1847,  commanded  a 
battalion  in  the  Mexican  war.  Some  misunderstanding 
arose  between  him  and  General  Kearney,  and  he  resigned. 
He  made  another  expedition  to  the  Rocky  mountains  in 
1848,  and  in  1849,  was  one  of  the  United  States  Commia 
sioners  to  run  the  boundary  line  between  the  United  States 
v.id  Mexico.  He  was  soon  after  chosen  United  States  Sen- 
ator for  California,  and  in  1856,  was  the  candidate  of  the 
Republican  party  for  President,  receiving  one  hundred  and 
fourteen  electoral  votes,  which  failed  to  elect  him.  For 
proficiency  in  the  sciences,  Fremont  received  a  gold  medal 
from  the  King  of  Prussia,  and  the  praises  of  Humboldt.  He 
was  in  Paris  at  the  outbreak  of  the  rebellion,  but  quickly 
returned  home  to  the  aid  of  his  country,  and  on  the  9th  of 
July,  1861,  was  put  in  command  of  the  Western  Depart 
ment,  with  the  rank  of  major-general,  head-quarters  at  St. 
Louis.  His  services  in  Missouri  were  very  important,  but 
political  enemies  caused  him  to  be  superseded  by  Genera. 
Hunter,  in  November,  1861.  Fremont  was  afterward  in 
command  of  the  Mountain  Department,  and  followed  Jackson 
in  hot  pursuit,  through  the  Shenandoah  valley.  He  meas- 
ured swords  with  him  at  the  battle  of  Cross  Keys,  in  June, 
1862,  and  after  a  severe  action  Jackson  escaped.  When 
General  Pope  was  appointed  to  command  the  Army  of 
Virginia,  Fremont,  declining  to  serve  under  one  who  in 
Missouri  had  been  his  subordinate,  resigned,  and  retired 
from  the  army. 

MAJOR-GENERAL  WILLIAM  S.  ROSECRANS  was 
born  in  Delaware  county,  Ohio,  in  December,  1819,  was  ad- 
mitted into  West  Point  at  the  age  of  nineteen,  and  gradu- 
ated with  high  honors  in  1842-.  In  1843,  he  was  Assistant 
Professor  of  Engineering  at  West  Point,  and  in  1847,  waa 
on  duty  at  Newport.  In  1853,  he  completed  the  survey  of 
the  harbors  of  New  Bedford,  Providence,  and  the  Taunton 
river.  In  1854,  he  was  on  duty  at  the  Washington  Navy 
Yard.  Resigning  from  the  army  in  1854,  he  spent  some 
years  in  Cincinnati  as  civil  engineer  and  architect,  and  was 
then  appointed  Chief  Engineer  of  the  State  of  Ohio.  He 
was  made  colonel  of  the  Twenty-third  Ohio  volunteers  on 
the  outbreak  of  the  war,  and  brigadier-general  in  the  regu- 
lar army  in  Jane,  1861.  He  gained  great  honor  at  the  bat- 


522  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES. 

tie  of  Rich  Mountain,  July  12th,  and  in  that  of  Carnifex 
Ferry  September  10th.  In  March,  1862,  he  was  made 
major-general  of  volunteers,  and  was  placed  in  command  of 
the  Third  division  of  the  Army  of  the  Mississippi.  He 
gained  the  battle  of  luka,  in  Mississippi,  September  19th, 
and  that  ol  Corinth,  on  the  3d  and  4th  of  October,  1862. 
Succeeding  General  Buell  in  command  of  the  Army  of  tho 
Cumberland,  he  fought  the  battle  of  Murfreesboro.  Ha 
restored  order  in  the  city  of  Nashville,  and  from  thence 
marched  to  Chattanooga.  Eosecrans  had  marched  across 
fche  Cumberland  mountains,  by  means  of  a  flank  movement, 
and  captured  the  latter  place.  The  battle  of  Chickamauga 
was  disastrous  to  the  Union  arms,  and  was  only  retrieved 
by  the  firmness  of  the  left  wing,  under  General  Thomas. 
General  Kosecrans,  some  time  after,  became  commander  of 
the  Military  Department  of  Missouri,  with  his  headquarters 
at  St.  Louis. 

MAJOR-GENERAL  GEORGE  H.  THOMAS  was  born 

July  31st,  1816,  in  Southampton  county,  Virginia,  graduated 
at  West  Point  in  1840,  and  was  commissioned  second  lieu- 
tenant of  artillery.  After  serving  for  eighteen  months  in 
the  Florida  war,  he  was  ordered  to  New  Orleans  in  January, 
1842,  and  in  June  of  the  same  year  to  Charleston  Harbor. 
He  became  first  lieutenant  in  1843,  served  at  Fort  Moultrie 
in  1844,  and  was  at  Fort  Brown  in  1845,  when  the  Mexicans 
besieged  the  place.  He  also  fought  at  Monterey,  where  he 
was  breveted  captain,  and  at  Buena  Yista,  where  he  was 
breveted  major.  In  1848,  he  commanded  the  commissary 
depot  at  Brazos  Santiago,  Texas.  Returning,  he  joined  his 
company  at  Rhode  Island,  in  >849,  and  was  again  sent  to 
Florida,  where  he  remained-  until  1850,  and  then  was  on 
duty  at  Boston  and  West  Point.  He  served  in  California 
in  1854,  as  major  of  cavalry,  and  then  in  Mobile  and  Texas, 
where  he  was  in  command  till  November,  1860.  He  was 
ordered  to  Carlisle  Barracks,  Pennsylvania,  in  1861,  and  on 
the  25th  of  April,  became  lieutenant-colonel.  On  May  5th, 
of  the  same  year,  he  was  appointed  colonel  of  the  Fifth 
regular  cavalry,  and  commanded  a  brigade  under  GeneraJ 
Patterson,  and  afterward,  under  General  Banks.  On  Au- 
gust 17th,  he  was  made  a  brigadier-general,  and  soon  after- 
ward, commanded  at  Camp  Dick  Robinson,  in  Kentucky 


MAJOR-GENERAL   JAMES    BIRDSEYE    MCPHERSON.      523 

He  fougdt  the  battle  of  Mill  Spring,  gaining  a  decided  victory 
after  which  he  was  sent  to  Nashville,  where  his  division  formed 
the  reserve  of  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland.  He  became 
major-general  of  volunteers  on  April  25th,  1862,  and  his 
division  was  transferred  to  the  Army  of  the  Tennessee.  He 
was  again  transferred  to  the  Army  of  the  Ohio,  and  ordered 
to  concentrate  at  Dechard,  Tennessee.  Second  in  command 
of  the  Army  of  the  Ohio,  before  and  after  the  battle  of  Per 
ryville,  he  participated  in  the  campaign  in  pursuit  of  Bragg, 
The  Army  of  the  Ohio  became  that  of  the  Cumberland,  now 
in  command  of  Eosecrans,  and  Thomas  commanded  the 
centre,  being  the  Fourteenth  corps,  in  five  divisions.  He 
exhibited  great  firmness  at  Stone  River  and  at  Chickamauga, 
rolling  back  the  tide  of  battle,  and  saving  the  army.  He 
scaled  Mission  Ridge  with  his  veterans,  and  was  eminent 
for  his  services  at  Dalton,  Resaca,  New  Hope  Church, 
Kenesaw,  Peach  Tree  Creek,  Decatur,  and  Jonesboro.  At 
Nashville,  he  almost  annihilated  Hood's  army.  He  was 
made  a  major-general  in  the  regular  army  in  December, 
1864,  but  did  not  afterward  command  in  person,  his  army 
being  sent  to  Salisbury,  Central  Alabama,  and  Georgia.  On 
the  termination  of  the  war,  he  was  put  in  command  of  the 
Military  Division  of  the  Tennessee,  including  the  Depart- 
ments of  the  Tennessee,  Kentucky,  Georgia,  and  Alabam^ 
with  headquarters  at  Nashville. 

MAJOR-GENERAL'  JAMES  BIRDSEYE  McPHER- 

SON  was  born  in  Sandusky  county,  Ohio,  November  14th, 
1828,  entered  West  Point,  and  graduated,  at  the  head  of  his 
class,  in  June,  1853.  He  received  the  appointment  of  second 
lieutenant  of  engineers,  and  assistant  instructor  of  practical 
engineering  at  the  military  academy.  In  September,  1854, 
he  was  made  assistant  engineer  in  the  defences  of  New  York 
Harbor,  and  the  improvements  of  the  navigation  of  tha 
Hudson,  receiving  his  commission  of  second  lieutenant  of 
engineers,  December,  1856.  In  1857,  he  was  engaged  in 
the  construction  of  Fort  Delaware,  and  in  the  defences  of 
Alcatra  island,  California.  He  was  made  first  lieutenant  in 
December,  1858,  and  in  August,  was  m  command  of  the 
fortifications  of  Boston  Harbor.  In  November,  1861,  ho 
became  aid-de-camp  to  General  Halleck,  in  the  Department 
of  the  West,  and  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  lioutanaat- 


524  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES. 

colonel.     He  was  engaged  in  engineer  duty  in  Missouri  till 
the  early  part  of  1862,  and  then  joined  General  Grant  aa 
chief  engineer  in  the  operations  against  Forts  Henry  and 
Donelson.     On  May  1st,  he  became  colonel  on  the  staff  of 
General  Halleck,  and  displayed  great  ability  and  engineer- 
ing skill  in  *he  siege  of  Corinth.     lie  was  made  a  brigadier- 
general  of  volunteers  in  May,  1862,  and  in  June,  was  sent 
by  General  Grant  to  superintend  all  the  United  States  mili- 
tary roads  in  Tennessee.     His  skill  and  gallantry  were  ex- 
hibited at   the   battle  of  Corinth,  and  he  was   nominated 
major-general  of  volunteers.     In  November,  1862,  he  drove 
the  rebels  from  La  Grange,  and  on  the  llth,  defeated  Gen- 
oral   Price   at  Lamar.     McPherson  commanded  the  right 
wing  of  Grant's  army  through  Central  Mississippi,  where  ha 
exhibited  great  ability  as   a  commander.     In   December, 
J  862,  he  was  placed  in  command  of  the  Seventeenth  army 
«,orps,  having  been  previously  made  major-general  of  volun- 
teers.    He  was  actively  engaged  during  the  campaign  and 
d'.ege  before  the  fall  of  Vicksburg,  and  rendered  important 
•*T vices  in  the  battles  of  Port  Gibson,  Champion  Hill,  etc. 
))n  the  fall  of  Vicksburg,  General  Grant  recommended  the 
promotion  of  McPherson  to  brigadier-general  in  the  regular 
trmy,  which  rank  was  bestowed  upon  him  in  December, 
1.863.   During  the  winter  of  1863,  he  commanded  the  whole 
i  egion  bordering  on  the  Mississippi,  from  Helena,  Arkansas, 
to  the  mouth  of  the  Red  river.   In  February,  1864,  he  again 
entered  the  field  with  his  corps,  and 'in  Sherman's  Meridian 
expedition,  had  frequent  conflicts  with  the  foe.     In  March, 
1864,  he  was  put  in  command  of  the  Army  of  the  Tennessee 
comprising  the  Fifteenth,  Sixteenth,  and  Seventeenth  corps 
and  joined  the  right  of  Sherman's  army.     During  the  hard- 
fought  campaign  toward  Atlanta,  McPherson  displayed,  on 
every  occasion,  all  the  skill  of  the  general,  and  the  bravery 
of  the  soldier.   He  fell  by  the  bullet  of  a  rebel  sharpshooter, 
at  the  battle  of  Peach  Tree  Creek,  July  22d,  1864,  univer- 
sally lamented  by  his  soldiers,  whose  idol  he  was,  by  his 
officers,  and  by  the  whole  circle  of  his  acquaintances.    Gen 
eral  Grant,  upon  receiving  the  intelligence  of  his  death, 
exclaimed :   "  The  country  has  lost  one  of  its  best  soldiers, 
and  I  have  lost  one  of  my  best  friends."    General  Sherman, 
in  his  official  report,  says  of  General  McPherson :  "  He  wa» 
a  noble  youth,  of  striking  personal  appearance,  of  the  high 


BANKS — POPS.  525 

est  professional  capacity,  and  with  a  heart  abounding  in 
kindness,  which  drew  toward  him  the  affections  of  all  men." 

MAJOR-GENERAL  N.  P.  BANKS  was  born  in  Mas- 
sachusetts, in  1810,  and  received  but  a  limited  education 
His  earliest  labors  were  spent  industriously  in  a  cotton 
factory  at  Waltham.  He  afterward  became  a  machinist, 
and  applying  himself  diligently  to  the  cultivation  of  his 
mind,  made  great  progress.  In  1848,  he  was  chosen  a 
member  of 'the  Massachusetts  House  of  Representatives,  and 
became  its  Speaker  in  1851.  In  1853,  he  was  chosen  to 
represent  the  State  in  Congress,  and  in  1855,  was  re- 
elected.  In  1856,  he  became  Speaker  of  the  House  of 
Representatives,  after  a  prolonged  ballot,  which  continued 
during  nearly  the  entire  session  of  Congress.  He  was  elected 
Governor  of  Massachusetts  in  1857,  and  executed  the  duties 
of  that  office  with  great  ability.  On  account  of  his  high 
reputation  for  capacity,  energy,  and  integrity,  the  govern- 
ment, at  the  beginning  of  the  rebellion,  appointed  him  a 
major-general  of  volunteers  in  command  of  a  division  on 
the  Potomac  at  Darnestown.  We  have  traced  in  the  former 
pages  his  operations  on  the  Potomac,  followed  him  in  his 
masterly  retreat  to  that  river,  and.fully  described  a  move- 
ment which  emulates  the  retreat  of  the  famed  ten  thousand 
under  Xenophon,  whose  glory  is  eclipsed  by  the  greater 
strategy  of  the  American.  The  part  which  he  enacted  in 
the  disastrous  Red  river  expedition,  and  his  successful 
government  in  New  Orleans,  have  been  amply  set  forth. 
General  Banks  is  possessed  of  a  high  order  of  intellect,  and, 
as  a  self-made  man,  is  a  model  to  the  youth  of  the  country. 
The  nation  still  respects  a  patriot,  who,  with  ability  and 
integrity,  supported  the  constitution  during  the  colossal 
rebellion,  and  yet  holds  a  high  position  in  the  national 
coundls. 

MAJOR-GENERAL  JOHN  POPE  was  born  in  Ken- 
tucky in  1823,  entered  West  Point  in  1838,  and  graduated 
in  1842,  with  the  brevet  rank  of  second  lieutenant  of  en- 
gineers. His  gallantry  was  evinced  during  the  Mexican  war 
m  many  battles,  particularly  those  of  Monterey  and  Buena 
Vista.  For  meritorious  services  in  the  former  of  these,  he 
was  breveted  £  rst  lieutenant,  and  in  the  latter,  captain. 


626'  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES. 

Afterward,  tie  served  in  New  Mexico  and  in  the  Minnesota 
Territory,  and  in  1854,  explored  the  route  for  a  railroad  to 
the  Pacific,  from  the  Ked  river  to  the  Rio  Grande.  He  re- 
ce:ved  promotion  to  a  captaincy  in  1856,  and  for  three  years 
was  occupied  with  the  duties  of  an  engineer  in  the  Western 
Military  Department.  He  became  brigadier-general  of  vol- 
unteers in  May,  1861.  His  operations  at  New  Madrid  and 
Island  Number  Ten,  covered  him  with  renown.  On  the 
25th  01  June,  1862,  the  armies  of  Fremont,  McDowell,  and 
Banks,  were  consolidated  by  the  President,  as  the  Army 
of  Virginia,  and  General  Pope  placed  in  command.  The 
movements  of  the  army  have  been  amply  discussed.  Gen- 
eral Pope  struggled  hard  for  success  in  the  battles  of  Kettle 
Run,  Bristow  Station,  Manassas,  and  Chantilly,  and  with  a 
resolution  worthy  his  former  fame.  On  the  return  of  the 
army  within  the  defences  of  Washington,  General  Pope,  re- 
questing to  be  relieved,  was  at  once  appointed  to  the  com- 
mand of  the  Northwest,  and  soon  restored  peace  and 
quietness  to  that  section,  which  had  been  ravaged  by  the 
Indians. 

MAJOR-GENERAL  WINFIELD  SCOTT  HANCOCK 
was  born  in  Montgomery  county,  Pennsylvania,  February 
14th,  1824,  entered  West  Point  in  1840,  and  graduated  in 
1844,  receiving  the  brevet  of  second  lieutenant  in  the  Fourth 
infantry,  and  on  June  18th,  1846,  the  commission  of  lieuten 
ant.  Being  ordered  to  Mexico,  he  won  distinction  at  Con- 
treras  and  Cherubusco,  for  which  he  was  breveted  first 
lieutenant.  He  displayed  great  bravery  also  at  Molina  Del 
Rey,  Mexico.  On  his  return  he  became  regimental  quarter- 
master, and  in  1849  was  made  adjutant  of  the  Sixth  United 
States  infantry  ;  after  which  he  served  on  the  plains  and  in 
California.  He  was  made  first  lieutenant  in  January,  1853, 
and  assistant  quartermaster-general,  with  the  rank  of  cap- 
tain, in  November,  1855.  He  then  served  for  the  second 
time  in  California,  and  remained  on  the  Pacific  coast  till  the 
war  broke  out.  Returning  east,  he  received  the  appoint 
ment  of  chief  quartermaster  to  General  (late  Major)  Ander 
eon,  in  command  of  the  Department  of  the  Ohio,  but  before 
reaching  his  new  appointment  was  commissioned  brigadier- 
general  in  the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  During  the  winter 
of  1861-2,  his  brigade  made  some  (successful  reconnoisancea 


MAJOR-GENERAL   DANIEL  BELL  BIRNKY.  627 

He  served  jn  the  Peninsula,  and  on  account  of  meritorious 
services  at  Lee's  Mills  and  Yorktown,  received  the  brevet  of 
major  in  the  regular  army.  He  turned  the  tide  of  battle  in 
a  charge  at  Williamsburg,  and  for  his  gallantry  was  bre- 
yeted  as  lieutenant-colonel  in  the  regulars,  to  date  from 
May  5th,  1862.  After  the  battles  of  White  Oak  Swamp 
and  Golding's  farm,  he  was  breveted  colonel.  lie  fough* 
in  the  battles  of  Antietam  and  Fredericksburg ;  in  the  lattu 
of  which  he  commanded  a  division  of  the  Second  corps, 
which  lost  heavily,  and  where  he  also  was  wounded.  After- 
ward, he  was  commissioned  major-general  of  volunteers, 
from  November  20th,  1862.  At  the  conflict  of  Chancellors- 
ville  he  commanded  a  division,  and  after  the  appointment 
of  General  Couch  to  the  command  of  the  Department  of 
the  ^.isquehanna,  he  was  advanced  to  the  command  of  the 
Second  corps.  At  the  battle  of  Gettysburg  he  was  actively 
engaged,  being  severely  wounded  on  the  third  day  of  the 
battle.  His  corps  had  been  increased  by  recruits  to 
forty  thousand  men,  and  on  his  return,  after  convalescence, 
in  the  spring  of  1864,  he  resumed  command.  He  partici- 
pated in  the  battles  of  the  campaign,  and  during  the  autumn, 
but  his  old  wounds  proving  troublesome,  he  requested  to  be 
relieved.  When  the  army  was  reorganized,  in  June,  1865, 
he  was  appointed  to  command  the  Middle  Department,  con- 
eisting  of  West  Virginia,  most  of  Maryland  and  the  States 
of  Delaware  and  Pennsylvania. 

MAJOR-GENERAL  DANIEL  BELL  BIRNEY 
was  born  in  Huntsville,  Alabama,  1825.  He  began  the 
practice  of  law  in  Philadelphia  in  1848,  and  on  the  out- 
break of  the  rebellion  became  lieutenant-colonel  of  a  regi 
ment  of  that  city,  which  had  volunteered  for  the  three 
months'  service.  The  men  re-enlisted  for  three  years  and 
he  led  them  as  colonel.  He  was  made  brigadier-general  in 
February,  1862,  and  served  with  distinction  in  the  battles  of 
the  Peninsula,  and  those  before  Washington.  He  was  con 
•picuous  for  gallantry  at  Fredericksburg  and  Chancellors- 
yille,  at  the  latter  place  his  brigade,  in  Berry's  division 
warded  off  serious  disasters,  a  panic  having  seized  the  Elev- 
enth corps. 

After  the  decease  of  General  Berry,  Birney  took  com 
maud  of  the  division,  and  became  a  major-general,  May  23d 


528  BIOGBAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 

1863.  At  Gettysburg,  when  Sickles  was  wounded,  Birney 
commanded  the  corps,  and  was  afterward  assigned  to  tha 
command  of  a  division  of  the  second  corps,  his  ability 
and  skill  being  much  commended  in  the  campaign  of  186-4. 
He  participated  in  the  movements  for  driving  back  Le<3 
fronrthe  Wilderness  in  the  crossing  of  the  North  Anna,  and 
the  Pamunkey,  and  in  the  battles  of  Hanover  Court  House, 
Cold  Harbor,  and  various  others,  in  all  of  them  gaining  ie- 
nown. 

General  Grant,  on  the  23d  of  July,  promoted  him  to  the< 
command  of  the  tenth  corps  in  the  Army  of  the  James 
He  was  ill  in  October  from  malarious  fever,  and  his  constitu- 
tion became  much  impaired.  He  died  in  Philadelphia,  on 
the  18th  of  October,  1864. 

MAJOR-GENERAL  JOHN  SEDGWICK  was  born 
in  Litchfield  county,  Connecticut,  in  1815,  and  graduated  at 
"West  Point  in  1837.  He  entered  the  war  with  Mexico  as 
first  lieutenant  of  artillery,  and  was  distinguished  for  brav- 
ery in  the  battles  at  Contreras,  Cherubusco,  and  Chapultepec, 
receiving  the  brevets  of  captain  and  major.  His  gallantry 
was  conspicuous  also  at  the  attack  on  the  San  Cosme  Gate. 
At  the  outbreak  of  the  rebellion,  he  was  lieutenant-colone. 
of  the  second  United  States  cavalry,  and  on  the  25th  of 
August,  1861,  became  colonel  of  the  fourth  cavalry.  He 
was  promoted  to  a  brigadier-generalship  of  volunteers  on 
the  31st  of  August,  and  received  command  of  a  brigade, 
which  subsequently  was  part  of  the  command  of  Genera] 
Sumner.  Sedgwick  then  commanded  the  third  division  of 
the  corps,  and  participated  in  the  siege  of  Yorktown.  He 
served  on  the  Peninsula  with  honor,  and  with  his  division, 
in  connection  with  the  other  trooj«  of  Sumner's  corps,  the 
battle  was  saved  at  Fair  Oaks.  In  the  seven  days'  battle, 
he  reaped  many  laurels,  especially  at  Savage  Station  and 
Glendale.  At  Antietam,  he  exhibited  every  trait  of  hero- 
ism and  skill,  and  was  wounded,  only  retiring  two  hours  after 
receiving  a  second  wound.  He  was  breveted  brigadier-gen- 
eral in  the  regular  army,  and  on  the  23d  of  December,  re- 
ceived the  appointment  of  major-general  of  volunteers.  In 
February,  1863,  he  was  placed  in  command  of  the  sixth  army 
corps.  At  the  head  of  his  troops,  he  carried  Marye's  Heights, 
Fredeiicksburg  and  after  the  battles  of  Salem  Height! 


MAJOR-GENERAL  JOHN  MCALLIST1R  SCHOFIELD.     629 

and  Banks  Ford,  withdrew  h's  troops  across  the  Rappahan- 
nock.  On  the  advance  of  the  army  into  Maryland  he  com- 
manded the  right  wing,  and  after  a  remarkable  forced 
march,  arrived  up  in  time  to  participate  in  the  second  days' 
battle  of  Gettysburg.  In  this  great  battle  his  personal 
bravery  inspired  the  troops,  November  the  7th,  1863  ;  cross- 
ing the  Rapidan,  he  captured  fifteen  hundred  men  of  Early'i 
division,  with  several  guns  and  battle-flags.  When  the 
army  was  reorganized  in  the  spring  of  18C4,  the  sixth 
corps  was  much  increased,  and  took  part  in  the  battles  dur- 
ing the  campaign  in  the  Wilderness.  On  the  9th  of  May 
General  Sedgwick  was  killed  at  Spottsylvania  by  the  bul- 
let of  a  rebel  sharpshooter. 

MAJOR-GENERAL  JOHN  McALLISTER  SCHO- 
FIELD  was  born  in  Chatauqua  County,  New  York,  Soptem- 
ber  29th,  1831.  He  graduated  at  West  Point  in  1853,  and  was 
attached  to  the  second  regiment  of  artillery  as  brevet  second 
lieutenant.  He  was  soon  after  promoted,  and  became  first 
lieutenant  on  March  1st,  1855.  He  served  two  years  in 
South  Carolina  and  Florida,  and  in  the  autumn  of  1855,  be- 
came assistant  professor  of  natural  and  experimental  phil 
osophy  at  West  Point.  In  this  position  he  continued  until 
Tune,  1860,  when  he  was  granted  leave  of  absence  for  9 
year,  to  fill  the  chair  of  Physics  in  Washington  University 
St.  Louis.  When  the  war  began,  he  became  mustering 
officer  in  Missouri,  and  soon  after  became  major  of  the  first 
regiment  of  Missouri  volunteers.  Under  captain  (afterward 
general)  Lyon,  he  assisted  in  dispersing  the  secessionists  at 
Camp  Jackson,  on  the  10th  of  May,  1861,  and  on  the  14th,  was 
promoted  to  be  a  captain  in  the  regular  army,  serving  soon 
after  as  chief  staff  officer  under  General  Lyon,  till  the  death 
of  that  officer.  He  was  commissioned  brigadier-general  of 
volunteers  on  the  20th  of  November,  and  was  authorized  by 
the  Governor  of  Missouri  to  raise,  equip,  and  command  ten 
thousand  militia  for  the  service  of  the  United  States.  Gen- 
eral Halleck  appointed  him,  in  the  spring  of  1862,  com- 
mander of  the  district  of  Missouri,  and  he  did  much  during 
the  autumn  to  suppress  guerilla  warfare  in  the  State.  On 
the  29th  of  November,  1862,  he  was  appointed  by  the  Pre- 
sident, major-general  of  volunteers,  but  was  not  confirmed 
by  the  Senate.  He  was  relieved  at  once  on  his  own  request 
46 


530  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 

and  reporting  to  General  Rosecrans,  was  assigned  to  tb« 
command  of  the  division  of  the  Fourteenth  corps,  which 
had  previously  been  under  General  Thomas.  Being  re-ap- 
pointed by  the  President,  major-general  of  volunteers,  he 
was  ordered  to  St.  Louis  to  relieve  General  Curtis  as  com- 
mander of  the  Department  of  Missouri.  He  rendered  great 
id  to  General  Grant  during  the  siege  and  capture  of  Vicks- 
Durg,  after  which,  being  reinforced  by  Steele's  division, 
Schofield,  in  a  campaign,  drove  the  rebels  from  Arkansas. 
In  January,  1864,  he  was  about  joining  General  Banks  in 
the  occupation  of  Shreveport,  and  the  line  of  the  Bed  river, 
but  Missouri  politicians  clamoring  for  his  removal,  Rose- 
crans was  sent  to  relieve  him.  On  the  9th  of  February,  at 
the  request  of  General  Grant,  he  was  put  in  command  of 
the  Department  of  the  Ohio,  and  as  commander  of  the  army 
of  the  Ohio  (Twenty-third  corps)  he  distinguished  himself 
in  the  campaign  against  Atlanta.  He  was  sent  by  Sherman 
to  reinforce  General  Thomas,  in  the  Nashville  campaign,  in 
which  he  still  further  increased  his  high  reputation.  In 
January,  1865,  after  participating  in  the  capture  of  Wil- 
mington, and  the  battle  of  Kinston,  he  joined  Sherman  at 
Goldsboro.  At  the  end  of  the  war,  he  was  placed  in  com- 
mand of  the  Department  of  South  Carolina,  and  left  in  the 
fcutumn  for  Europe,  having  obtained  leave  of  absence  for 
twelve  months. 

MAJOR-GENERAL  HENRY  W.  SLOCUM  was  born 
in  Delphi,  New  York,  September  24th,  1827,  entered  West 
Point  in  1848,  and  graduated  June,  1852.  He  entered  the 
army  as  brevet  second  lieutenant  of  artillery,  and  became 
first  lieutenant  March  3d,  1855,  but  resigning  in  October, 
1856,  was  engaged  in  business  in  Syracuse,  New  York.  He 
became  colonel  of  the  Twenty-seventh  New  York  volunteers 
May  21st,  1861,  and  took  part  in  the  battle  of  Bull  Run. 
In  August,  1861,  he  was  made  brigadier-general  of  volun- 
teers, held  the  extreme  left  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  be- 
yond Alexandria,  and  there  remained  during  the  winter  of 
1861-1862.  He  commanded  the  third  brigade  of-  the  first 
division  of  McDowell's  corps,  in  the  movement  of  the  army 
in  1862,  and  when  the  division  was  detached,  became  its 
major-general.  He  took  part  in  the  aflair  at  the  Brick 
House,  and  helped  to  hold  the  West  Point  and  Bichinond 


MAJOR-GENERAL   ORMSBY   MCKNIGHT   MITCHELL.     531 

railroad.  He  also  participated  in  the  seven  days'  fight,  es- 
pecially at  Games'  Mills,  in  the  battles  under  Pope,  in  the 
Maryland  campaign,  and  at  Antietara.  He  was  made  ma 
jor-general  in  command  of  the  Twelfth  corps,  July  4th,  1862, 
participating  in  the  battle  of  Fredericksburg,  and  in  that  of 
Chancellorsville.  At  Gettysburg,  he  commanded  the  right 
wing,  and  in  September  was  sent  to  Vicksburg,  where  he 
remained  until  August,  1864.  In  the  Atlanta  campaign,  he 
commanded  the  Twentieth  corps,  being  the  first  to  enter 
that  city;  and  in  the  campaign  through  Georgia  and  the 
Carolinas,  commanded  Sherman's  left  wing.  At  the  end  of 
the  war,  he  was  appointed  to  command  the  Department  of 
the  Mississippi,  but  in  September,  1865,  resigned  his  com- 
mission. He  received  the  nomination  of  the  Democratic 
party  in  the  State  of  New  York,  to  the  office  of  Secretary 
of  State,  in  September,  but  was  not  elected. 

MAJOR-GENERAL  OEMSBY  McKNIGHT  MITCH 
ELL  was  born  in  Union  County,  Kentucky,  in  1810,  and 
graduated  at  West  Point  in  1829.  He  was  appointed 
assistant  professor  of  mathemathics  at  the  Military  Acad- 
emy, and  held  the  position  two  years  ;  after  which,  having 
resigned  from  the  service,  he  studied  law,  was  admitted  to 
the  bar,  and  practiced  in  Cincinnati  until  the  year  1834, 
when  he  was  elected  professor  of  mathematics,  astronomy, 
and  philosophy,  in  the  college  of  that  city.  He  proposed 
in  1845  to  erect  a  grand  observatory,  and  the  design  was 
ultimately  carried  into  operation.  While  in  1859,  he  was 
chosen  director  of  the  Dudley  Observatory  at  Albany,  he 
still  continued  connected  with  that  at  Cincinnati.  He  waa 
distinguished  as  an  astronomical  lecturer,  wrote  several 
standard  works  on  the  subject,  and  had  gained  a  high  repu- 
tation as  a  savant,  when  he  left  his  scientific  pursuits  for  the 
tented  field.  In  August,  1861,  he  was  commissioned  brig- 
dier-general  of  volunteers,  and  served  under  General  Buell 
in  the  Department  of  the  Ohio.  After  the  capture  of 
Bowling  Green  and  Nashville,  he  moved  rapidly  to  the 
southward,  and  broke  the  enemy's  communications,  by  seizing 
the  railway  bet  Areen  Corinth  and  Chattanooga.  He  was  re- 
lieved of  his  command  in  July,  1862,  and  in  September  of 
the  same  year  appointed  commander  of  the  Department  of 
the  South.  Preparing  for  an  active  campaign,  he  fell  a  vio 


682  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES. 

tira  to  the  yellow  fever  at  Beaufort,  South  Carolina,  Octobet 
30th,  1862.  Throughout  his  short,  but  brilliant  military 
career,  he  displayed  all  the  qualities  of  a  good  general  and 
a  thorough  Christian  soldier. 

MAJOR-GENERAL  JUDSON  KILPATRICK  was 
born  in  the  valley  of  the  Clove,  northern  New  Jersey,  in 
1838,  entered  West  Point  on  the  20th  of  June,  1856,  and 
graduated  in  1860.  He  was  wounded  at  the  battle  of  Big 
Bethel,  one  of  the  first  of  the  war,  where  as  a  lieutenant  he 
commanded  Duryea's  Zouaves,  June  llth,  1861.  In  the 
September  following,  he  was  made  lieutenant-colonel  of  the 
famous  Harris  light  cavalry,  and  became  one  of  the  exam- 
ining board  for  admitting  cavalry  officers  into  the  service. 
He  made  his  first  raid  on  the  Virginia  Central  railroad  in 
July  and  August,  1862,  and  participated  in  the  famous  raid 
of  Stoneman  in  the  rebel  rear,  while  Hooker  was  fighting 
the  enemy  at  Chancellorsville.  He  was  greatly  distinguished 
in  the  cavalry  battles  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  and  won 
the  star  of  a  brigadier-general  on  the  broad  plains  of  Brandy 
Station.  At  Aldie,  Upperville,  Monterey,  Williamsport, 
Boousboro,  Falling  Waters,  Hagerstown  and  other  places, 
he  reaped  imperishable  laurels,  and  at  Gettysburg,  with  his 
brave  men,  materially  assisted  in  defeating  the  rebel  attempts 
on  little  Round  Top,  the  success  of  which  might  have  been 
fatal  to  the  army.  His  expedition  on  the  8th  of  February, 
1864,  to  free  the  seventeen  thousand  prisoners  confined  in 
Richmond,  failed  for  want  of  the  co-operation  lost  by  the 
death  of  the  heroic  young  Colonel  Dahlgren.  Kilpatrick 
rendered  important  services  during  the  Atlanta  campaign, 
and  was  desperately  wounded  at  the  battle  of  Resaca.  He 
commanded  the  cavalry  under  Sherman,  and  protected  the 
wings  of  the  army  on  the  famous  march  through  Georgia 
to  Savannah,  atd  thence  through  the  Carolinas.  His  valor 
was  conspicuous  in  the  battles  of  Griswoldville,  Johnston's 
Station,  Waynesboro,  and  Averysboro.  On  the  termination 
of  the  war,  he  became  United  States  Plenipotentiary  to 
Chili,  South  America. 

MAJOR-GENERAL  JOHN  W.  GEARY  is  a  native 
z>f  Westmoreland  County,  Pennsylvania,  served  with  dis- 
tinction in  the  war  with  Mexico,  and  was  piomoted  for 


BBIGADIEB-GENEBAL   JAMBS   S.  WADSWOBTH.        538 

meritorious  conduct  at  Cerro  Gordo  and  the  city  of  Mexico 
He  resided  in  San  Francisco  in  1848,  and  was  chosen  the 
first  Mayor  of  that  city.  President  Buchanan  appointed  him 
Governor  of  Kansas  in  1856,  at  a  time  when  that  Territory 
was  in  a  state  of  insurrection,  and  border  ruffianism  rampant. 
By  indomitable  energy,  ability,  and  firmness,  Governor 
Geary  began  to  make  the  laws  respected,  and  to  establish 
security  of  life  and  property.  He  suffered  much  privation 
while  in  Kansas,  living  in  a  log  house,  and  was  at  consider- 
able expense  in  disbursing  from  his  private  purse  funds  to 
supply  the  territorial  administration.  Being  deprived  ol 
the  necessary  means  for  carrying  into  effect  his  government- 
al purposes,  he  resigned  in  March,  1857.  He  then  retired 
to  private  life,  and  when  the  war  broke  out  offered  his  ser- 
vices to  his  country.  At  Bolivar  Heights,  October  16th, 
1861,  Colonel  Geary,  with  his  regiment,  defeated  three  thou- 
sand Confederates  with  heavy  loss.  In  this  engagement  he 
exhibited  great  gallantry.  He  also  did  good  service  at  the 
"  Point  of  Eocks,"  and  was  soon  after  made  a  brigadier-gen- 
eral. Geary  displayed  great  heroism  at  the  battle  of  Cedar 
Mountain,  August  9th,  1862,  where  a  bold  attempt  to  flank 
the  Federal  left  was  repelled  and  defeated  by  this  leader,  at 
the  head  of  his  brave  brigade.  He  served  with  distinction 
in  many  battles  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  and  having 
been  made  a  major-general,  commanded  a  division  of  the 
Twentieth  corps  under  Sherman,  whom  he  accompanied  in 
the  grand  march  to  the  sea.  On  the  retreat  of  Hardee, 
Geary  was  the  first  to  occupy  the  city  of  Savannah  with  hia 
troops,  and  was  appointed  Military  Governor  of  the  city,  trhe 
sanitary  condition  of  which  he  improved.  Under  his  j  udicious 
administration  of  affairs,  order  and  protection  to  all  classes 
prevailed.  General  Geary  participated  in  the  battles  on  the 
march  through  the  Carolinas,  and  at  the  close  of  the  war 
returned  to  his  native  State,  was  nominated  by  the  Eepub 
hcan  party  as  Governor  of  Pennsylvania,  and  elected  by 
large  majority. 

BRIGADIER-GENERAL  JAMES  rf.  WADSWORTH 
was  born  in  Livingston  County,  New  York,  in  1807,  grad- 
uated at  Harvard  Col  ege,  studied  law  under  Daniel  Web 
ater,  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1833.  He  l>ogan  hii 
military  career  as  a  voJumeer  aid-de-camp  to 


684  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 

McDowell  at  the  battle  of  Bull  Run,  and  upon  the  recom- 
mendation of  that  general,  was  made  brigadier-general  of 
volunteers,  August,  1861.  He  was  appointed  Military  Gov- 
ernor of  the  District  of  Columbia,  11  March,  1862,  and  in 
the  ensuing  December  was  assigned  to  the  command  of  a 
division  in  the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  His  bravery  arid 
skil1  were  evinced  at  Fredericksburg  and  Chancellorsville, 
and  his  division  rendered  the  most  important  services  on 
the  first  day  of  the  battle  of  Gettysburg.  When  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac  was  reorganized  for  the  campaign  of  1864, 
General  Wadsworth  was  appointed  to  take  command  of  the 
Fourth  division  of  the  Fifth  corps,  at  the  head  of  which  he 
bravely  met  his  death  on  May  6th,  at  the  sanguinary  battle 
of  the  Wilderness.  He  was  possessed  of  an  immense  for- 
tune, and  gave  freely  to  the  Union  cause 

MAJOR-GENERAL  GEORGE  STONEMAN  was  born 
at  Busti,  New  York,  August,  1822,  and  graduated  from 
West  Point  in  1846.  He  received  the  commission  of  first 
lieutenant  in  July,  1854,  and  on  the  3d  of  March,  1858,  was 
made  captain  of  cavalry,  after  which  he  served  in  the  south- 
west. He  was  then  ordered  to  Palo  Alto,  Texas,  where  he 
continued  until  the  commencement  of  the  rebellion.  In 
May,  1861,  he  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  major  of  cavalry, 
and  in  August,  was  made  a  brigadier-general.  He  was  dis- 
tinguished at  the  battle  of  Gaines'  Mill,  June  27th,  1862,  and 
was  breveted  colonel  in  the  regular  army.  He  was  a  par- 
ticipant in  Pope's  campaign  in  Virginia  also,  and  in  that  of 
Maryland.  His  gallantry  was  conspicuous  in  command  of 
the  Third  Army  corps  at  Fredericksburg.  On  the  5th  of 
February,  1863,  he  was  made  chief  of  the  cavalry  corps  of 
Hooker,  and  was  afterward  made  head  of  the  Cavalry 
Bureau  at  Washington.  He  rendered  important  services 
by  his  numerous  raids,  and  served  with  distinction  under 
Grant  and  Sherman,  in  the  great  operations  by  which  the 
war  was  brought  to  an  end. 

MAJOR-GENERAL  ALFRED  HOWE  TERRY  was 
born  in  Hartford,  Connecticut,  November,  10th,  1827.  He 
graduated  at  Yale  College,  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in 
New  Ila/en  in  1848.  lie  studied  the  art  of  war  in  the 
Crimean  and  Italian  campaigns,  and  in  April,  1861,  was 


LYON— POSTER.  585 

commissioned  colonel  of  the  seventh  Connecticut  volunteers, 
assisting  in  the  capture  of  Port  Royal  and  Fort  Pulaski. 
On  April  25th,  1862,  he  became  brigadier-general  of  volun- 
teers. He  participated  in  the  battle  of  Pocotaligo,  June, 
1863,  and  in  the  siege  of  Forts  Wagner  and  Sumter,  in 
July,  August,  and  September  of  the  same  year.  His  brigade 
being  made  part  of  the  Army  of  the  James,  during  1864, 
he  fought  at  Deep  Run,  the  Richmond  Central  railroad,  and 
other  places,  and  was  for  a  time  in  command  of  the  tenth 
corps,  commanding  the  first  division,  when  in  combination 
with  the  eighteenth  corps,  it  became  the  twenty-fourth 
corps.  In  July,  1864,  he  was  breveted  major-general,  and 
sent  by  General  Grant  to  lead  the  second  assault  on  Fort 
Fisher.  Being  reinforced  by  General  Schofield,  he  ad- 
vanced upon  Wilmington,  which  was  captured  on  February 
22d,  1865.  General  Terry  then  marched  to  meet  General 
Sherman  at  GoJdsboro.  For  his  gallantry  at  the  capture  of 
Fort  Fisher,  he  was  made  a  major-general  of  volunteers, 
and  a  brigadier,  and  brevet  major-general  in  the  regular 
army.  When  the  war  ended,  he  was  placed  in  command 
of  the  Department  of  Virginia. 

BRIGADIER-GENERAL  NATHANIEL  LYON  was 

oorn  at  Ashford,  Connecticut,  in  1819,  and  graduated  with 
ionor  at  West  Point  in  1841.  He  was  soon  promoted  to  a 
captaincy,  and  in  the  Mexican  war  was  distinguished  for 
his  gallantry  in  many  battles.  He  was  on  active  service  in 
Missouri  and  California,  and  at  the  outbreak  of  the  rebel- 
lion, was  chosen  by  the  Missouri  volunteers  as  their  brigadier- 
general.  He  fell  in  a  glorious  charge  at  the  battle  of 
Wilson's  Creek,  Missouri,  on  August  9th,  1861,  while 
leading  his  troops  to  victory.  He  is  worthy  to  live  in 
history  as  one  of  the  noblest  of  patriots  that  ever  died  for  his 
country. 

MAJOR-GENERAL  JOHN  G.  FOSTER  was  born  in 
Whitefield,  New  Hampshire,  in  1823,  and  graduated  with 
honor  at  West  Point  in  1846.  He  was  made  second  lieu- 
tenant of  engineers  on  the  completion  of  his  studies,  and 
served  under  General  Scott,  during  the  war  with  Mexico, 
as  lieutenant  of  sappers  and  miners,  participating  in  the 
battles  on  the  march  from  Vera  Cruz  to  Molina  del  Bey. 


636  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 

At  the  latter  place,  and  while  leading  a  storming  party  in 
an  attack  on  the  Casa  Mata,  he  was  severely  wounded.  For 
meritorious  conduct  at  Contreras,  Cherubusco,  and  Molina 
del  Key,  he  obtained  three  brevets.  On  recovering  from  his 
wounds,  he  was  sent,  in  1859,  to  Charleston,  South  Carolina, 
to  repair  and  complete  the  forts  in  Charleston  Harbor. 
After  the  fall  of  Fort  Sumter,  Captain  Foster  superintended 
the  erection  of  the  fort  at  Sandy  Hook.  In  the  same  year 
(1861)  he  received  the  appointment  of  brigadier-general  of 
volunteers,  and  was  ordered  into  active  service  in  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac.  He  commanded  a  division  during  Burn- 
side's  expedition  against  Eoanoke  island,  and  added  much 
to  the  success  of  the  enterprise.  Afterward,  he  gained  dis- 
tinction at  Newbern  and  Fort  Macon ;  and  on  the  transfer 
of  Burnside  to  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  became  com- 
mander of  all  the  troops  left  in  North  Carolina.  The  success- 
ful expedition  to  Goldsboro  increased  greatly  his  reputation. 

MAJOE-GENEEAL  FEANZ  STGEL  was  born  in  Ba- 
den,  Germany,  in  1824,  and  was  educated  at  the  military 
school  of  Carlsruhe.  He  rose  rapidly  in  his  profession,  at- 
tained the  rank  of  chief  adjutant  in  1847,  and  became  one 
of  the  best  artillery  officers  in  Germany.  He  participated 
in  the  revolution  of  1848,  and  in  command  of  an  army  of 
the  Liberals,  was  conspicuous  for  skill  and  gallantry.  He 
was  obliged  to  flee  at  the  end  of  the  war,  which  terminated 
unfavorably  for  the  cause  in  which  he  battled.  He  came  to 
this  country,  and  was  professor  in  a  college  at  St.  Louis,  on 
the  outbreak  of  the  war,  teaching  the  military  art,  among 
other  branches  of  instruction.  His  spirit  was  aroused.  He 
took  a  leading  and  active  part  among  the  Germans  of  Mis- 
souri, and  was  made  commander  of  the  third  volunteer 
regiment,  which  was  raised  in  St.  Louis.  On  the  death  of 
General  Lyon,  at  Springfield,  Sigel  led  back  the  retreat  to 
Holla.  In  the  battle  of  Pea  Bidge,  Arkansas,  his  valor  was 
conspicuous,  and,  finally,  he  attained  the  rank  of  major- 
general,  being,  for  a  time,  in  command  of  the  Eleventh 
corps,  in  the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  He  was  afterward 
appointed  to  the  command  of  the  Army  of  Western  Vir- 
giaia,  and  was  defeated  by  Breckinridge  at  New  Market,  in 
the  Shenandoah  valley,  May  9th,  1864,  after  which  he  wai 
tent  to  take  charge  of  the  post  at  Martinsburg. 


GILMORB— HAYS.  68? 

MAJOR-GENERAL  J.  Q.  A.  GILMORE  was  bora  in 

Lorain  county,  Ohio,  in  1825,  and  graduated,  first  of  his  class, 
at  "West  Point,  in  1849.  lie  was  assigned  to  the  corps  of 
topographical  engineers,  and  was  engaged  on  the  fortifica« 
tions  of  Hampton  Roads,  Virginia,  between  the  years  1849 
-1852.  The  following  four  years,  he  was  assistant  in- 
structor of  practical  engineering  at  West  Point,  during  a 
part  of  which  time  he  was  also  quartermaster  and  treasurer. 
In  1861,  he  received  the  appointment  of  chief  engineer  of 
Sherman's  expedition  against  the  Southern  coast.  He  was 
engaged  on  the  fortifications  at  Hilton  Head,  and  designed 
and  carried  into  execution  the  operations  against  Fort  Pu- 
laski.  In  April,  1#62,  he  became  brigadier-general  of  vol- 
unteers, was  for  some  time  engaged  in  South  Carolina,  and 
in  September,  of  the  same  year,  was  put  in  command  of  the 
district  of  Western  Virginia.  He  defeated  Pegram  at  the 
battle  of  Somerset,  Kentucky,  March  30th,  1863,  and  on  the 
12th  of  June,  of  the  same  year,  was  placed  in  command  of 
the  Department  of  the  South.  On  September  6th,  1863,  he 
captured  Fort  Wagner  and  Battery  Gregg,  in  Charleston 
Harbor.  In  May,  1864,  in  command  of  the  Tenth  corps,  he 
was  ordered  to  join  the  Army  of  the  James,  under  Butler, 
and  was  engaged  in  two  unsuccessful  assaults  on  Petersburg. 
In  February,  1865,  he  was  again  ordered  to  the  Department 
of  the  South,  and,  on  the  evacuation  of  Charleston,  occupied 
that  city  with  his  forces.  In  September,  1865,  he  became 
commander  of  the  Department  of  South  Carolina. 

BRIGADIER-GENERAL  ALEXANDER  HAYS  was 
born  in  Pittsburg,  Pennsylvania,  graduated  at  West  Point 
in  1844,  and  passing  through  several  grades,  was  made 
first  lieutenant  of  infantry  in  June,  1846.  He  was  distin- 
guished during  the  war  with  Mexico  in  several  battles.  In 
1848,  he  left  the  army,  and,  at  the  beginning  of  the  war 
was  engaged  in  the  iron  manufacture  in  Venango  county 
Pennsylvania.  In  1861,  he  re-entered  the  service  as  colonei 
of  the  Sixty -third  Pennsylvania  volunteers,  and  was  made  a 
captain  in  the  Sixteenth  regular  infantry.  Hays  was  con- 
spicuous for  bravery  at  the  battle  of  Fair  Oaks,  and  received 
a  brevet  of  major.  For  gallant  conduct  in  the  seven  days' 
battle,  he  was  breveted  lieutenant-colonel,  and  his  services 
during  the  Maryland  campaign  won  for  him  the  star  of  » 


5ft$  BIOG&APHICAL  SKETCHES. 

brigadier-  general.  At  the  battles  of  Chancellorsville,  where 
he  was  wounded,  and  Gettysburg,  he  evinced  his  usual 
bravery.  At  the  latter  battle  he  was  in  command  of  the 
Third  division  of  Hancock's  c  ">rps,  and  of  the  entire  corps 
when  that  general  was  wounded.  In  the  battles  of  Auburn, 
Brisiow  Station,  and  Mine  Run,  General  Hays  was  in  com- 
mand of  the  Third  division;  and  when  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac  was  reorganized  for  the  next  campaign,  he  waa 
placed  in  command  of  the  Second  brigade,  Third  division, 
Second  corps,  under  General  Hancock.  On  May  5th,  1864, 
at  the  battle  of  the  Wilderness,  he  was  killed,  while  bravely 
leading  his  men.  • 

MAJOR-GENERAL  PHILIP  KEARNEY  had  served 
with  distinction  as  major  in  the  Mexican  war,  and  partici- 
pated in  the  battles  of  the  French  army  in  Algeria,  the 
Crimea,  and  at  Solferino,  in  which  he  was  noted  for  his 
bravery.  He  was  made  a  brigadier-general  in  the  Union 
army,  in  1861,  and  was  a  fearless  leader  of  his  men.  He  led 
the  brave  New  Jersey  troops  in  the  battles  of  the  Peninsula, 
and  was  remarkable  for  gallantry  at  Yorktown,  Williams- 
burg,  Fair  Oaks,  White  Oak  Swamp,  Cross-roads,  and  Mal- 
vern  Hill.  He  was  killed  September  1st,  1862,  on  riding 
forward  to  explore  a  gap  in  the  Federal  lines — being  struck 
by  the  minie  ball  of  a  sharpshooter.  The  loss  of  this  officer 
at  such  a  crisis,  especially,  was  a  public  calamity. 

MAJOR-GENERAL  JOHN  FULTON  REYNOLDS 
was  born  in  Lancaster,  Pennsylvania,  in  1820,  entered 
West  Point  in  1837,  and  graduated  on  the  80th  of  July, 
1841.  On  the  28d  of  October,  1841,  he  was  commissioned 
second  lieutenant  of  artillery,  and  on  the  18th  of  June,  1846, 
a  first  lieutenant.  In  the  Mexican  war  he  won  the  succes- 
sive brevets  of  captain  and  major,  at  Monterey  and  Buena 
Vista,  and  after  his  return,  was  on  service  against  the 
Indians  on  the  Pacific  coast.  He  was  aid  to  General  Wool 
in  March,  1852,  and  in  1855  became  captain  of  artillery. 
In  May,  1861,  he  organized  the  Pennsylvania  Reserves, 
during  the  same  month  was  made  lieutenant-colonel  of  the 
Fourteenth  United  States  infantry,  and  in  August,  of  that 
year,  was  placed  in  command  of  the  first  brigade  of  the 
rennsylvania  Reserves.  He  was  engaged  in  the  construe- 


GENERAL  ALFRED  PLEASANTO1T.  589 

tion  of  Fort  Pennsylvania,  at  Tenallytown,  D.  C.,  and  on 
the  Peninsula,  tor-k  part  in  the  battles  of  Mechanics ville, 
Games'  Mill,  Savage  Station,  and  at  Charles  City  cross- 
roads. He  was  taken  prisoner  on  the  latter  occasion,  where 
ne  commanded,  for  awhile,  the  division  of  McCall,  on  the 
capture  of  the  latter.  Reynolds  was  made  a  brevet  colonel 
and  a  brigadier-general  in  the  regular  army,  commanded 
the  Pennsylvania  Militia  during  the.  rebel  invasion  in 
September,  1862,  and  afterward  commanded  the  First 
corps  under  Franklin,  being  on  the  left  wing  at  the  battle 
of  Fredericksburg.  His  commission  of  major-general  of 
volunteers  was  dated  from  the  29th  of  November,  1862. 
He  was  in  reserve  at  the  battle  of  Chancellorsville,  where 
he  was  distinguished  for  the  promptness  and  skill  with 
which  he  served  his  corps,  in  accordance  with  the  design 
of  General  Hooker  to  deceive  the  enemy.  He  was  ap- 
pointed to  command  the  right  wing  of  Hooker's  army  on 
the  12th  of  June,  when  he  had  charge  of  three  corps.  At 
Gettysburg,  he  commanded  the  vanguard  of  the  army,  and 
on  this  bloody  field  he  fell  in  the  defence  of  his  country  on 
the  first  day  of  the  battle.  Thus  perished  a  thorough  sol- 
dier, and  a  true  patriot. 

GENERAL  ALFRED  PLEASANTON  was  born  in  the 
District  of  Columbia  in  1824,  entered  "West  Point  at  the  age 
of  sixteen,  and  graduated  in  1844,  the  seventh  of  his  class.  He 
was  commissioned  second  lieutenant  in  the  second  dragoons, 
November  3d,  1845,  served  in  the  Mexican  war  under 
General  Taylor,  and  was  breveted  for  gallant  and  meritori- 
ous conduct  at  Palo  Alto,  and  Resaca  de  la  Palma.  He 
becume  first  lieutenant  in  1839,  adjutant  of  his  regiment 
in  1854,  and  captain  March,  1855.  In  1856,  he  became 
assistant  adjutant-general  to  General  Harney  in  the  Depart- 
ment of  the  West.  In  February,  1862,  he  received  the 
rank  of  major  in  the  regular  army,  and  served  with  such 
distinction  in  the  Peninsula,  in  the  regular  cavalry  corps, 
as  to  obtain  two  brevets.  On  the  16th  of  July,  1862,  he 
was  appointed  briadier-general  of  volunteers,  and  was 
placed  in  command  of  a  cavalry  division  under  Stoneman. 
He  was  much  distinguished  during  the  Maryland  campaign, 
and  by  a  dash  on  Frederick,  (September  12th,)  drove  the 
rebels  from  that  place  His  cavalry,  on  the  15th,  in  th« 


640  BIOGBAPHICAL   SKETCHES. 

battle  of  Boonesboro,  gained  a  splendid  victory.  Many 
important  reconnoisances  were  made  bj  him,  before  the  bat- 
tle of  Fredericksburg,  and  he  was  also  actively  engaged  at 
Gettysburg.  He  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  major-gen- 
eral  of  volunteers,  and,  upon  the  appointment  of  General 
Stoneman  to  be  head  of  the  Cavalry  Bureau,  Pleasantou 
became  commander  of  the  cavalry  corps  of  the  army  of  the 
Potomac. 

BRIGADIER-GENERAL  MICHAEL  CORCORAN 
was  born  in  the  county  of  Sligo,  Ireland,  in  1827,  and 
came  to  the  United  States  in  1849.  He  began  his  military 
career  as  a  private  in  the  Sixty-ninth  New  York  State 
Militia,  which  in  August,  1859,  elected  him  its  colonel. 
He  led  this  regiment  to  the  seat  of  war  in  1861,  and  the 
soldiers  composing  it,  built  Fort  Corcoran,  on  Arlington 
Heights.  At  the  battle  of  Bull  Run,  the  regiment  and  its 
commander  gained  great  renown.  The  colonel  was  cap- 
tured and  sent  to  Richmond,  and  thence  to  Charleston, 
South  Carolina.  On  his  release  he  was  commissioned 
brigadier-general,  dating  from  July  21st,  1862.  His  pro- 
gress from  Washington  to  Philadelphia  was  an  ovation, 
and  he  was  entertained  with  a  sumptuous  banquet  at  the 
latter  city.  He  organized  the  Corcoran  Legion,  and,  during 
April,  1863,  fought  in  the  battles  of  the  Nansemond  river 
and  Suffolk,  holding  the  enemy  at  bay.  The  Legion  was 
attached  to  the  army  of  the  Potomac  in  August,  1863.  On 
the  22d  of  December,  General  Corcoran  mounted  a  horse, 
and  was  a  little  in  advance  of  his  friends,  who,  with  him- 
self, formed  a  party  to  convey  General  Meagher  back 
from  the  head-quarters  to  Washington.  He  was  found 
lying  senseless  near  head-quarters,  his  horse  having  fallen 
upon  him.  All  medical  assistance  was  unavailing,  and  ha 
died  at  Fairfax  Court  House,  where  his  troops  then  lay, 
December  22d,  1863. 

COLONEL  ELMER  E.  ELLSWORTH  was  born  in 
Massachusetts.  At  an  early  age,  he  was  cast  on  his  own  re- 
sources, and  exposed  to  toil  and  privation.  He  removed  to 
Chicago  in  1852,  with  but  poor  prospects,  except  these 
which  hope  presents  to  the  youthful  mind.  His  pursuits 
Were  varied,  and  at  one  period  he  began  the  study  of  law 


COLONEL   EDWARD   DICFINSON  BAKEB.  541 

ander  Abraham  Lincoln.  He  ever  cherished  a  predilection 
for  a  military  life,  and  havirg  studied  the  principles  and 
peculiarities  of  the  zouave  drill  and  discipline,  raised  a  com- 
pany among  his  friends.  The  Chicago  zouaves  emulated 
those  of  Algiers,  and  Ellsworth,  proud  of  his  men,  chal- 
lenged all  the  military  corps  of  the  United  States  to  a  trial 
Df  skill.  He  made  a  military  tour  through  the  principal 
cities  and  towns  with  his  comrades,  over  whom  he  had 
ga  ined  a  great  ascendancy.  Ellsworth  was  also  distinguished 
as  an  orator,  and  made  speeches  in  favor  of  Lincoln  for  tho 
Presidency.  When  the  war  broke  out,  he  tendered  his  ser- 
vices to  the  country,  selected  from  the  firemen  of  New  York 
material  for  a  zouave  regiment,  removed  to  Fort  Hamilton 
to  drill  them,  and  then  proceeded  with  them  to  Washing, 
too.  At  Alexandria,  May  23d,  1861,  the  zouaves  began  to 
destroy  the  railroad  to  Richmond,  their  design  being  tc 
obtain  possession  of  the  telegraph  office.  Ellsworth,  a* 
their  head,  led  them  at  a  double-quick,  and  his  rapid  glanca 
saw  a  rebel  flag  waving  from  the  Marshall  House.  "  That 
flag  must  come  down,"  he  exclaimed,  and  with  a  few  soldiers, 
he  went  up  on  the  roof,  cut  it  down  quickly,  and  was  be- 
ginning the  descent,  when  Jackson,  the  proprietor  of  the 
house,  fired  at  him  with  a  double  barreled  gun,  killing  him 
almost  instantaneously.  The  assassin  was  immediately  shot 
down  by  private  Brownell.  The  remains  of  the  gallant  Ells 
worth  were  finally  conveyed  to  Washington,  and  embalmed. 
Thus  fell  this  heroic  young  officer,  a  public  loss,  and  gener- 
ally lamented  by  his  acquaintances.  He  was  the  first  vol- 
unteer officer  lost  in  the  war. 

COLONEL  EDWARD  DICKINSON  BAKER  was 
early  left  an  orphan,  and  was  the  architect  of  his  own  for- 
tune. He  travelled  on  foot  across  the  Alleghenies  in  the 
former  part  of  his  public  life,  and  devoting  himself  to  the 
study  of  law,  became  renowned  at  Springfield,  Illinois,  from 
which  State  he  was  elected  to  a  seat  in  the  national  councils. 
He  was  a  brave  soldier  during  the  war  with  Mexico.  The 
spirit  of  adventure  led  him  to  California,  and  at  San  Fran- 
cisco, he  acquired  the  reputation  of  a  distinguished  orator 
and  statesman,  his  ora:ion  on  the  death  of  his  friend,  Sena- 
tor Broderick,  who  was  killed  in  a  duel,  being  still  consid- 
ered a  masterpiece  of  eloquence  and  pathos.  After  taking 
46 


542  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES. 

hia  seat  as  Senator  from  Oregon,  his  answer  to  tbe  argu 
ments  of  Breckenridge,  was  considered  a  complete  and  tri« 
umphant  refutation.  Colonel  Baker  was  known  as  a  valua- 
ble officer,  and  when  ordered,  with  part  of  his  own  Califor« 
nia  regiment,  and  of  the  Fifteenth  Massachusetts  and  New 
York  Tammany  regiments,  eighteen  hundred  men  in  all,  to 
sross  the  river  opposite  Leesburg,  on  the  21st  of  October, 
1861,  although  he  knew  the  movement  to  be  foolhardy,  ha 
obeyed,  and  in  the  disastrous  fight  at  Ball's  Bluff,  led  hia 
brave  men  in  an  unequal  contest  against  overwhelming 
numbers,  with  a  resolution  and  heroism  never  surpassed. 
It  was  here,  in  a  desperate  but  unavailing  struggle,  that  he 
fell,  mortally  wounded,  having  been  pierced  by  five  bullets. 
His  loss  occasioned  profound  regret,  and  his  memory  will 
be  cherished  by  all  future  generations  of  patriots,  as  one  of 
the  greatest  heroes  of  the  war.  In  him  the  country  lost  a 
devoted  soldier,  and  a  distinguished  statesmen. 

LIEUTENANT  JOHN  T.  GEEBLE  was  a  native  of 
Philadelphia,  being  educated  at  the  celebrated  High  School 
of  that  city.  He  graduated  with  honor  at  West  Point  Mil- 
tary  Academy,  in  1854,  received  the  rank  of  brevet  second 
ieutenant,  and  was  sent  west  to  Florida,  where  he  served 
iwo  years  in  the  war  against  the  Seminole  Indians.  He  was 
/nade  first  lieutenant  in  March,  1857,  and  afterward  became 
an  instructor  at  West  Point.  He  was  sent  to  Fortress  Monroe 
in  October,  1860,  and  there  remained  till  May,  1861,  when 
he  was  put  in  command  of  the  artillery  at  the  advanced  post 
of  Newport  News.  In  the  disastrous  battle  of  Great  Bethel, 
June  10th,  1861,  he  was  in  command  of  the  artillery  used 
on  the  occasion,  consisting  of  two  guns,  which  were  worked 
by  eleven  artillerists  of  the  regular  army.  Lieutenant 
Greble  was  the  first  to  ride  up,  and  rectify  the  fatal  error 
made  by  Duryea's  zouaves  and  Colonel  Townsend's  regi- 
ment, of  firing  into  each  other,  in  the  absence  of  signals,  and 
during  the  prevailing  darkness.  A  number  were  killed  and 
wounded  on  both  sides,  and  Greble,  wrung  with  agony,  de- 
clared that  he  had  rather  himself  be  shot  than  that  such  a 
fearful  disaster  should  have  happened.  He  had  a  presenti- 
ment that  he  would  not  survive  the  expedition  on  which 
the  troops  were  sent,  and  was  heard  to  say,  "  this  is  an  ill- 
advised  and  badly  arra  iged  movement,  no  good  will  come 


Y10E-ADMIBAL  DAVID  GLASGOW  FARBAGUT.        541 

from  it;  and  as  for  myself,  I  shall  not  return  from  the  battle- 
field alive."  The  words  were  prophetic,  and  this  heroic 
young  officer,  by  an  early  death,  became  the  first  martyr  to 
the  cause  of  his  country  from  among  the  commanders  of 
the  regular  army.  The  enemy  were  far  superior  in  artillery, 
and  many  patriots  were  slain.  With  the  most  heroic  cour- 
tge,  and  the  greatest  precision,  Greble  worked  his  guns,  and 
though  left  exposed  from  the  irregular  action  of  the  troops, 
scorned  to  retreat  till  the  bugle  should  sound  the  recall. 
He  was  struck  on  the  right  temple  with  a  cannon  ball,  and 
instantly  expired.  His  remains  were  rescued,  and  the  guns 
recaptured.  This  lamented  young  officer  was  descended 
from  illustrious  Revolutionary  sires,  and  will  stand  an  ex- 
ample to  American  youth  for  ages.  His  amiable  disposition, 
mental  acquirements,  attention  to  his  duty,  unflinching 
courage,  and  self-devotion,  rank  him  with  those  worthies 
whose  memory  the  country  loves  to  cherish;  and  many  an 
ardent  patriot,  stimulated  by  his  example,  like  him,  offered 
their  lives  at  their  country's  shrine. 

VICE-ADMIRAL  DAYID  GLASGOW  FARRAGUT 
was  born  July  5th,  1801,  near  Knoxville,  Tennessee.  He 
was  a  midshipman  at  the  early  age  of  nine  years,  and  with 
Commodore  Porter,  in  1813,  doubled  Cape  Horn.  He  was 
wounded  in  the  fight  in  the  Harbor  of  Valparaiso,  March 
28th,  1814,  and  was  commissioned-lieutenant  in  1821.  In 
1833,  he  commanded  in  the  Brazil,  and  afterward  in  the 
West  India  squadron,  and  in  1841  became  commanded  of 
the  Frigate  Decatur.  He  returned  in  1842  to  Norfolk,  and 
was  there  on  leave  of  absence  till  1845 ;  from  thence  he  was 
ordered  to  the  Norfolk  navy  yard,  there  remaining  till  1847, 
when  he  was  given  the  command  of  the  Frigate  Saratoga,  and 
took  part  in  the  engagements  which  grew  out  of  the  war 
with  Mexico.  He  commanded  the  navy  yard  on  More  Is- 
land; California,  in  1854,  and  in  1858  commanded  the  sloop 
of  war  Brooklyn,  from  which  he  was  relieved  in  1860.  In 
1861  he  organized  a  squadron  for  the  capture  of  New 
Orleans,  and  in  April,  1862,  bombarded  Forts  Philip  and 
Jackson,  passed  the  forts,  destroyed  the  rebel  fleet,  had  a 
severe  action  on  the  24th,  and  on  the  26th  of  June  captured 
the  city.  He  assaulted  Vicksburg,  and  on  the  llth  of  July 
was  made  rear  admiral.  In  November,  1862,  he  captured  Gal- 


544  BIOGKAPHtCAL  SKETCHES. 

vedton,  Texas,  and  on  the  14th  of  March,  1863,  passed  th« 
batteries  of  Port  Hudson,  after  a  severe  engagement.  His 
services  in  command  of  the  gulf  blockading  squadron,  were 
most  efficient.  On  the  5th  of  August,  1864,  he  captured 
Forts  Gaines,  and  Morgan,  and  the  Ram  Tennessee  in  Mo- 
bile Bay.  In  the  passage  of  the  forts,  Admiral  Farragut 
lashed  himself  with  chains  to  the  rigging,  and  displayed 
great  heroism.  He  was  afterward  placed  at  the  head  of  the 
Navy  of  the  United  States,  with  tne  rank  of  Vice- Admiral. 

REAR-ADMIRAL  DAVID  D.  PORTER  was  bora  in 
Philadelphia  in  1814.  He  was  educated  at  the  Naval  School 
of  Annapolis,  entered  the  navy,  and  was  passed  midship- 
man on  July  3d,  1835.  He  was  for  some  years  on  the 
Coast  Survey,  and  in  February  27th,  1841,  was  promoted  to 
the  rank  of  lieutenant,  and  ordered  to  the  Mediterranean, 
and  afterward  to  the  Brazil  squadron.  In  1845,  he  was  on 
duty  at  the  "Washington  Observatory,  was  at  the  capture  of 
Vera  Cruz  in  1847,  and  was  next  sent  to  the  rendezvous  at 
New  Orleans,  after  which  he  was  on  the  Coast  Survey.  Ha 
was  in  command  of  the  United  States  Mail  Steamers  Pa- 
nama and  Georgia,  from  1847  till  1853.  In  1855,  he  be- 
came lieutenant  commander,  and  was  first  in  command  of 
the  storeship  supply.  He  was  then  on  duty  at  the  Ports- 
mouth Navy  Yard.  In  1861,  he  became  commander;  was 
assigned  to  the  Powhattan,  on  the  West  blockading  squad- 
ron, and  in  April,  1862,  commanded  the  mortar  fleet  below 
New  Orleans.  In  October  of  the  same  year  he  was  made 
acting  rear-admiral,  in  command  of  the  Upper  Mississippi 
Squadron,  and  co-operated  in  the  siege  of  Vicksburg.  July 
the  4th,  1863,  he  was  commissioned  rear-admiral.  In  May. 
1864,  he  participated  in  the  Red  river  expedition,  and  OL 
the  1st  of  November  was  transferred  to  the  North  Atlantic. 
squadron,  planned  and  executed  the  portion  of  the  attack 
on  Fort  Fisher,  in  which  the  navy  was  engaged,  and  assisted 
finally  in  the  capture  of  Wilmington.  On  the  termination 
of  the  war,  he  was  made  superintendent  of  the  Annapolis 
Naval  Academy. 

REAR-ADMIRAL  SAMUEL  FRANCIS  DUPONT 
was  born  at  Bergen  Point,  New  Jersey,  September  27th, 
1803,  and  was  appointed  midshipman  in  the  navy  Deoem- 


JOS*  A. 

oer,  1815.  He  waa  commissioned  lieutenant  in  1826,  and 
served  on  the  schooner  Porpoise.  In  1845,  he  received  the 
rank  of  commander,  and  served  on  the  Pacific  in  command 
of  the  frigate  Congress.  In  the  Mexican  war,  he  captured 
San  Diego,  and  cleared  the  Gulf  of  California  of  Mexican 
vessels,  thirty  of  which  he  either  captured  or  destroyed. 
In  1855,  after  forty  years  of  service,  he  was  made  a  captain, 
and  in  1857,  commanded  the  Minnesota,  and  was  sent  on 
special  service  to  China.  Having  visited  Japan,  Western 
India,  and  Arabia,  he  returned  in  June,  1859.  In  January, 
1861,  he  was  placed  in  command  of  the  Philadelphia  Navy 
Yard,  and  in  September  of  the  same  year,  was  appointed  to 
command  the  South  Atlantic  blockading  squadron.  There 
he  remained  till  his  recall  in  1863.  lie  bombarded,  and, 
aided  by  the  land  forces,  captured  Forts  Beauregard  and 
Walker  at  the  entrance  of  Port  Royal  harbor,  South  Caro- 
lina. He  also  rendered  great  service  in  the  blockade  of  the 
coast  of  Carolina  and  Georgia,  in  occupying  Tybee  Roads 
and  Tybee  Island,  and  in  March,  1862,  in  the  capture  of 
Cumberland  Island  and  Sound,  Amelia  Island,  Florida,  and 
Fort  Clinch.  In  April,  1863,  he  made  a  resolute  attempt  to 
capture  Charleston,  and  personally  superintended  the  attack 
on  Fort  Sumter.  The  attack  failed,  and  was  not  renewed, 
the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  removed  Dupont  from  the  com- 
mand of  the  squadron,  and  his  successor,  with  a  large  fleet  and 
a  more  numerous  land  force,  co-operating,  made  no  attempt 
to  capture  Charleston.  In  July,  1865,  Dupon.t  was  made 
rear-admiral,  but  held  no  active  command.  He  died  of 
quinsy  in  Philadelphia,  June  23d,  1865.  As  a  sailor 
he  was  accomplished  and  brave,  a  most  interpid  commander, 
a  true  and  honest  patriot,  and  a  sincere  Christian  gentleman. 

REAR-ADMIRAL  JOHN  A.  DAHLGREN  wan 
born  in  Pennsylvania  in  1810.  He  entered  the  service  as  a 
midshipman,  February  1st,  1826,  and  in  March,  1837,  wa« 

gromoted  to  a  lieutenancv.  He  became  commander  in 
eptember,  1855,  captain  in  1861,  and  rear-admiral  Febru- 
ary 7th,  1863.  He  had  directed  his  attention  to  the  ordnance, 
and  had  been  detached  as  far  back  as  1846  for  special  ser 
vice  in  this  department.  After  1847,  he  was  engaged  a 
number  of  years  in  experimenting  in  the  size  and  material* 
of  fljuna  and  projectiles.  He  invented  a  gun  which  bearg 


646  BIOURAPHICAL  SriTCHM. 

nis  name,  and  between  the  years  1850  and  1856,  published 
several  works  on  ordnance.  He  was  in  command  of  the 
South  Atlantic  blockading  squadron  from  July,  1863,  till 
March,  1865.  His  attempts  to  capture  Charleston  were  un 
availing,  and  both  he  and  General  Gilmore.  the  commander 
of  the  land  forces  before  Charleston,  came  to  the  conclusion 
that  it  was  not  in  their  power  to  gain  possession  of  the  city, 
Admiral  Dahlgren  had  great  faith  in  iron  clad  vessels,  but 
they  were  found  incapable  of  effecting  the  capture. 

REAR-ADMIRAL  ANDREW  HULL  FOOTE  «raa 
born  in  New  Haven,  Connecticut,  September  12th,  1806, 
and  entered  the  navy  as  acting  midshipman  at  the  age  of 
sixteen.  lie  had  arrived  at  the  rank  of  commander  in  1856, 
was  commissioned  captain  in  July  1861,  and  in  September 
was  made  flag  officer  of  the  flotilla  then  fitting  out  in  the 
Western  waters. 

On  the  6th  of  February,  1862,  without  awaiting  the  ar 
rival  of  General  Grant,  he  attacked,  and  in  two  hours,  com 
polled  an  unconditional  surrender  of  Fort  Henry,  on  the 
Tennessee  River.  On  the  14th,  he  opened  fire  on  Fort 
Donelson,  and  in  an  hour  and  a  half  silenced  the  heavy 
Water  batteries  of  the  enemy.  The  injuries  sustained  by 
two  vessels,  made  it  necessary  to  depend  on  the  land  forces 
for  the  capture  of  the  place,  and  the  flotilla  withdrew. 
Foote  was  severely  wounded,  but  moved  up  to  destroy  some 
iron  works  at  Clarksville,  and  after  resting  some  time  at 
Cairo,  proceeded  down  the  Mississippi.  The  enemy,  on  his 
approach,  abandoned  the  strong  positions  of  Columbus  at 
Hickman.  During  the  siege  of  Island  Number  Ten,  Foote  re- 
mained at  his  post,  but  on  the  fall  of  the  place,  obtained 
leave  of  absence  in  consequence  of  his  wound.  In  June, 
1863,  he  was  sent  to  relieve  Admiral  Dupont  in  the  com- 
mand of  the  South  Atlantic  blackading  squadron.  While 
preparing  for  his  departure,  he  died  at  New  York,  June 
26th,  1863. 


JEFFERSON  DAYIS  was  born  June,  1808,  in  Christian 
county,  Kentucky.  He  studied  in  Transylvania  college  in 
hia  native  State,  and  on  finishing  his  course,  entered  West 
Point  in  1824,  and  graduated  in  1828,  receiving  the  appoint- 
ment of  brevet  second  lieutenant.  He  served  in  the  Black 
Hawk  war,  became  first  lieutenant  of  dragoons  in  1833, 
and  participated  in  the  various  expeditions  against  the 
Camanches,  Pawnees,  and  other  Indian  tribes  on  the  fron- 
tier. Resigning  from  the  army  in  1835,  he  returned  to 
Mississippi,  and  began  his  career  as  a  planter.  In  1843,  he 
became  an  active  politician,  and  in  1844  was  chosen  one  of 
the  Democratic  Electors  for  the  State  of  Mississippi.  In 
1845,  he  was  chosen  to  represent  that  State  in  Congress, 
when  he  displayed  considerable  abilities  as  a  speaker,  and 
won  a  high  political  reputation.  In  July,  1846,  he  was  ap- 
pointed Colonel  of  a  Mississippi  regiment  for  the  Mexican 
war  and  joined  General  Taylor  on  the  Hio  Grande,  partici- 
pating in  the  battles  of  Monterey  and  Buena  Vista.  In  the 
latter,  he  was  severely  wounded,  and  received  the  commen- 
dation of  General  Scott.  Returning  to  Mississippi  in  the 
summer,  the  governor  of  the  State  appointed  him  to  fill  a 
seat  left  vacant  in  the  United  States  Senate.  After  his  term 
had  expired,  in  March,  1851,  he  was  chosen  for  another  period. 
In  1852  he  was  made  Secretary  of  war,  under  Franklin  Pierce's 
administration,  at  the  close  of  which  he  was  again  elected  to 
the  Senate  of  the  United  States  by  the  Mississippi  Legislature, 
for  the  full  term  of  six  years.  On  January  9th,  1861,  Mississip- 
pi, by  an  ordinance  of  Secession,  separated  from  the  Union,  aad 
soon  after  Mr.  Davis  resigned  his  seat  in  the  Federal  Senate. 
The  rebel  Congress  met  at  Montgomery,  Alabama,  on  Mon- 
day, February  4th,  1861,  and,  during  several  successive  days, 
perfected  the  organization  of  the  infant  Confederacy.  On 
the  sixth  day  a  "provisional"  Constitution  was  adopted, 
and  Jefferson  Davis  elected  President  of  the  seceding  States. 
He  was  the  animating  spirit  of  the  Confederacy ;  its  armies 
obeyed  him,  its  privateers  by  his  directions  preyed  on  the 
commerce  of  the  United  States,  and  all  movements  of  im- 
portance were  under  his  supervision.  On  the  surrender  of 


548  BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 

Lee,  Davis  fled,  and  was  captured  at  Trivinsville,  Georgia,  on 
the  llth  of  May,  1865.  From  thence,  he  was  transferred  to 
Fortress  Monroe,  a  prisoner  of  the  Government. 

LIEUTENANT-GENERAL  ROBERT  EDWARD 
LEE  Son  of  "  Light  Horse  Harry,"  of  Revolutionary  fame, 
was  born  in  Stratford,  Virginia,  in  1806,  and  graduated  at 
West  Point,  second  of  his  class,  in  1829.  He  was  appointed 
brevet  second  lieutenant  of  topographical  engineers,  in 
which  he  served  until  1835,  when  he  became  assistant 
astronomer.  By  his  marriage,  in  1832,  with  Miss  Custis 
who  was  descended  from  Mrs.  Washington,  he  became  pro- 
prietor of  the  Arlington  estate,  and  the  well  known  White 
House  on  the  Pamunkey.  He  was  promoted  to  first  lieu- 
tenant in  1836,  and  in  1838,  to  captain.  In  1846,  he  re- 
ceived the  appointment  of  chief  engineer  to  the  central  army 
of  Mexico,  under  General  Wool,  and  held  that  position 
under  Scott,  being  at  the  same  time  a  member  of  that  gen- 
eral's staff.  He  was  conspicuous  for  gallantry  at  Cerro 
Gordo,  Contreras,  Cherubusco,  and  Chapultepec.  For 
meritorious  services,  he  was  successively  breveted  major 
lieutenant  colonel,  and  colonel,  sent  witn  his  regiment  in 
1852  to  New  Mexico,  and  in  the  autumn  of  the  same  year 
became  Superintendent  of  the  military  academy,  West 
Point.  In  April,  1855,  he  was  transferred  to  the  second 
cavalry  with  the  rank  of  lieutenant-colonel,  and  served  a  few 
years  in  Texas,  and  on  the  frontier.  In  March,  1861,  he  was 
appointed  colonel  of  the  first  United  States  cavalry.  On 
April  20th,  1861,  having  resigned  his  commission  in  order 
to  share  the  fortunes  of  his  State,  he  was  made  the  com- 
mander of  all  the  Confederate  troops  in  Virginia  with  the  rank 
of  major-general.  Richmond,  having  become  the  capital  of 
the  Confederacy,  and  the  rebel  troops  in  Virginia,  a  part  of 
its  army,  Lee  then  ranked  as  a  brigadier,  and  after  the  death 
of  General  Garnett,  succeeded  him  in  Western  Virginia. 
He  was  defeated  with  heavy  losa  by  General  John  F.  Rey- 
nolds, at  Cheat  Mountain,  September  12th,  1861.  In 
December,  1861,  he  was  in  charge  of  the  coast  defences  of 
South  Carolina,  and  Georgia,  and  in  March,  1862,  was  simi- 
larly engaged  at  Richmond.  General  Joseph  E.  Johnston 
having  been  wounded  at  the  battle  of  Fair  Oaks,  Lee  sue 
oeeded  Mm,  in  command  of  the  Confederate  army,  with 


MAJOR-GKNKKAL   JOSEPH  ECCLESTON  JOHNSTON.     649 

which  he  fought  the  seven  days'  fight,  the  battles  of  Popes 
campaign,  and  also  that  of  Antietam.  After  the  latter  bat 
tie,  he  led  his  army  in  retreat  across  the  Potomac,  and  took 
up  a  position  on  the  line  of  the  Rappahannock.  He  pai- 
ticipated  in  all  the  battles  in  Northern  Virginia,  gained  the 
advantage  at  Chancellorsville,  and  Fredericksburg,  was  de- 
feated at  Gettysburg,  and  contended  with  the  Union  forces, 
with  varying  success,  in  the  autumn  of  1863.  In  1864,  he 
displayed  great  energy,  through  an  arduous  campaign, 
and  in  January,  1865,  he  was  made  commander-in-chief,  of 
the  whole  military  force  of  the  Confederacy.  Richmond 
and  Petersburg  Avere  evacuated  on  the  3d  of  April,  and  on 
the  9th  General  Lee  surrendered  the  army  of  Northern 
Virginia  to  General  Grant.  He  afterward  became  President 
of  Washington  College,  Virginia. 

MAJOR-GENERAL  JOSEPH  ECCLESTON  JOHN- 
STON was  born  in  Prince  Edward's  county,  Virginia,  in 
1808,  graduated  at  West  Point  in  1829,  and  was  breveted 
second  lieutenant  of  artillery.  He  was  made  first  lieutenant 
and  commissary  in  1836,  transferred  to  the  topographical 
engineers  in  1838,  and  received  the  brevet  of  captain  for 
bravery  and  skill  during  the  Florida  war.  In  1846,  he  was 
promoted  to  a  captaincy,  and  in  1847,  breveted  lieutenant 
colonel  of  Voltigeurs.  He  served  in  Mexico,  was  severely 
wounded  in  a  reconnoissance  near  Cerro  Gordo,  and  dis- 
tinguished for  gallantry  at  Chapultepec  and  Molino  del 
Rey.  In  1855,  he  was  breveted  a  lieutenant-colonel  of  the 
first  cavalry,  and  in  1860,  received  the  appointment  of 
quartermaster-general,  of  the  armies  of  the  United  States, 
with  a  brigadier's  rank.  In  April,  1861,  he  espoused  the 
Confederate  cause,  was  commissioned  a  major-general,  and 
put  in  command  of  the  rebel  army  in  the  Shenandoah  val- 
ley. Escaping  General  Patterson,  he  moved  toward  Man- 
assas,  which  he  reached  on  the  20th  of  July  at  noon.  The 
next  day,  he  fought  in  the  battle  of  Bull  Run,  under  Beau 
regard.  He  commanded  the  army  of  Virginia  during  the 
siege  of  Yorktown,  and  the  battle  of  Williamsburg,  and 
was  severely  wounded  at  the  battle  of  Fair  Oaks.  In 
November,  1862  he  was  appointed  to  command  the  forces 
east  of  the  Mississippi,  including  the  troops  under  Bragg; 
Kirby  Smith,  and  others.  During  the  Vicksburg  campaign, 


660  BIOGRAPHICAL  BKETCHEa 

he  was  in  command  of  Jackson,  from  which  Sherman,  in 
July,  1863,  forced  him  to  retreat.  After  the  defeat  of 
Bragg  at  Chattanooga,  General  Johnston  took  command  of 
the  army  against  Sherman,  and  exhibited  considerable 
strategic  ability  during  the  Atlanta  campaign.  He  waa 
superseded  by  General  Ilood,  but,  during  the  campaign  in 
the  Carolinas,  was  re-instated,  and  fought  the  battles  of 
Averysboro  and  Bentonville.  Hearing  of  Lee's  surrender, 
Johnston  at  once  proposed  to  capitulate  and  after  some  de- 
lay, the  arrangements  were  completed  April  26th,  1865 
General  Johnston  then  returned  to  his  allegiance,  and  the 
duties  of  civil  life. 

MAJOR-GENERAL  PETER  G.  T.  BEAUREGARD 
was  born  in  Louisiana  in  1817,  graduated  with  honor  at 
West  Point  in  1838,  and  was  assigned  to  the  corps  of 
engineers.  He  was  made  first  lieutenant  in  January,  1840, 
and  during  the  war  with  Mexico,  was  distinguished  for 
bravery  and  skill,  being  breveted  captain  after  the  battle 
of  Cherubusco,  and  major  after  that  of  Chapultepec.  He 
gained  great  reputation  during  that  war  for  engineering 
skill.  In  1861,  he  was  selected  by  Jefferson  Davis  to  re- 
duce Fort  Sumter,  and  the  bombardment  began  on  April 
12th,  1K61,  a  memorable  era.  On  the  15th,  the  fort  was 
evacuated,  by  the  gallant  Anderson  and  his  men  with  all 
the  honors  of  war.  On  the  3d  of  June,  1861,  General  Beau- 
regard  assumed  command  of  the  Confederate  forces  at  Man- 
assas  Junction.  On  the  21st  of  July,  the  battle  of  Bull 
Run  was  fought.  The  rebel  army  had  been  driven  back 
half  a  mile,  and  Beauregard  was  preparing  to  retreat  to  his 
lines  at  Manassas  Junction,  when  Johnston  having  eluded, 
Patterson  brought  up  his  ten  thousand  fresh 'troops,  to  the 
field,  and  thus  decided  the  battle  against  the  Union  forces. 
In  1863,  Beauregard  commanded  at  Charleston,  when  it  was 
attacked  by  General  Gilmore.  The  Forts  Wagner  and 
Battery  Gregg,  were  evacuated  on  the  6th  of  September, 
but  Beauregard  had  so  fortified  Charleston  that  it  could 
only  be  taken  by  a  flank  movement. 

LIEUTENANT-GENERAL  THOMAS  JONATHAN 

JACKSON  of  the  Confederate  army,  was  born  in  Lewis 
County,  Western  Virginia,  January  21st,  1824,  graduated  at 


LISUTIN  ANT- GENERAL  THOMAS  J.  JACKSOW. 

West  Point,  and  was  breveted  second  lieutenant.  He  served 
with  distinction  in  the  war  with  Mexico,  was  made  first 
lieutenant  in  August,  1847,  and  in  August,  1848,  waa 
breveted  captain  for  meritorious  services  at  the  battlea 
of  Contreras  and  Cherubusco,  and  was  also  breveted 
major  after  the  battle  of  Chapultepec.  Ill  health  caused 
him,  in  1852,  to  resign  his  commission,  and  he  returned 
to  Virginia.  He  was  soon  made  professor  of  chemistry 
and  natural  sciences  in  the  Virginia  Military  Institute. 
Governor  Letcher,  of  Virginia,  commissioned  him  in  1861, 
colonel  in  the  State,  with  the  command  of  the  troops  in 
the  Shenandoah  valley.  On  the  2d  of  July,  1861,  Jackson 
encountered  the  Union  forces  under  General  Patterson,  and 
fought  the  battle  of  Falling  Waters ;  soon  after  which  he  was 
made  a  brigadier-general.  On  July  21st,  1861,  he  partici- 
pated in  the  battle  of  Bull  Kun,  and  in  the  ensuing  October 
was  made  a  major-general.  He  encountered  the  Union 
forces  under  Shields,  at  the  battle  of  Winchester,  March  23d, 
1862,  and  was  defeated  in  one  of  the  sharpest  contests  of 
the  war.  In  an  encounter  with  the  Union  forces  under 
Milroy,  on  the  8th  of  April,  he  drove  them  back  to  Frank 
lin,  and  prevented  the  junction  of  Generals  Fremont  anc 
Banks.  On  the  23d  of  May,  he  surprised  the  Federal 
under  Colonel  Kenley  at  Front  Koyal,  and  drove  Genera. 
Banks  to  the  Potomac.  Jackson  eluded  the  attempt  of 
Fremont  and  Banks  to  capture  him,  and  on  June  8th,  fought 
the  battle  of  Cross  Keys.  Eluding  General  Shields  at  Port 
Republic,  he  attacked  McClellan's  right  wing  at  Cold  Harbor 
on  the  25th  of  June,  and  on  the  1st  of  July,  shared  in  the 
Confederate  defeat  at  Malvern  Hill.  During  General  Pope's 
campaign,  Jackson  participated  in  the  second  battle  of  Bull 
Run,  and  caused  the  surrender  of  Harper's  Ferry.  At  An- 
tietam,  Jackson  was  posted  on  the  Confederate  left,  where 
he  fought  desperately.  He  held  the  enemy's  right  at  Fred- 
ericksburg,  December  the  13th,  and  for  services  therein,  waa 
made  lieutenant-general.  On  the  2d  of  May,  he  made  a 
flank  movement  on  General  Hooker's  right  at  Chancellors- 
ville,  routed  the  Eleventh  corps,  and  returning  toward  hia 
own  lines,  was  shot  by  his  own  men  in  mistake.  Both 
arms  were  amputated,  and  he  died  on  the  10th,  in  Richmond. 
He  was  one  of  the  ablest  generals  in  the  "  Confederacy," 
which  bitterly  lamented  his  untimely  death. 


552  BIOGRAPHICAL  SK1TOHM. 

LIEUTENANT-GENERAL  JAMES  LONGSTREET 
was  born  in  South  Carolina,  in  1820,  graduated  at  West 
Point  in  1842,  and  was  breveted  second  lieutenant  of  infan- 
try. He  took  part  at  the  storming  of  Monterey  in  Septem- 
ber 1846,  and  was  promoted  to  first  lieutenant  in  1847 
For  gallant  and  meritorious  conduct  in  the  battle  of  Centre 
ras  and  Cherubusco,  he  received  the  brevet  of  captain,  and 
that  of  major  after  the  battle  of  Molino  del  Key.  He  won 
the  commendation  of  General  Scott,  for  conspicuous  bravery 
in  the  assault  of  Chapultepec,  September,  1847,  and  became 
full  captain  in  December.  In  July,  1858,  he  was  made  pay- 
master with  the  rank  of  major.  He  cast  in  his  lot  with 
the  South,  was  made  a  general,  and  in  command  of  a 
brigade,  was  stationed  at  Blackburn's  Ford  on  the  18th  of 
July,  1861,  where  he  resisted  the  Union  forces  under  Tyier. 
For  his  services  at  the  battle  of  Bull  Run,  July  21st,  1861, 
he  was  made  a  major-general  under  Johnston.  On  the  evacu- 
ation of  Yorktown,  he  defended  the  rear  of  the  (rebel) 
army,  and  fought  at  Williamsburg.  In  the  battles  of  the 
Peninsula  he  bore  an  important  part.  In  the  invasion  of 
Maryland  he  was  conspicuous,  and  at  Antietam  com- 
manded the  Confederate  right,  opposed  to  Burnside.  In 
December,  1862,  at  the  battle  of  Fredericksburg,  he  was 
posted  on  the  (Confederate)  left.  In  February,  1863,  he 
was  made  Lieutenant-general ;  laid  siege  to  Suffolk  on  the 
14th  of  April,  which  he  abandoned  in  order  to  reinforce 
Lee  at  Chancellorsville,  and  participated  in  the  second  inva- 
sion of  the  States,  bearing  a  prominent  part  in  the  battle  of 
Gettysburg,  July,  1863.  He  reinforced  Bragg  on  the  19th 
of  September,  and  took  part  in  the  battle  of  Chickamauga. 
In  December,  Sherman  forced  him  to  raise  the  siege  of 
Knoxville,  and  in  April,  1864,  he  rejoined  Lee  in  Virgina, 
and  was  severely  wounded  at  the  battle  of  the  Wilderness, 
May  6th.  He  was  taken  to  Lynchburg  to  his  family,  and 
gradually  recovered,  but  it  was  six  months  before  he  was 
able  to  report  for  duty.  He  resumed  his  command  in 
October,  1864,  and  participated  in  the  movements  in  which 
Lee  struggled  to  defend  Richmond. 


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